Peter Wise and Brenda McMahon have submitted the following:-
Thomas was born at Barnard Castle in 1895 the son of Anthony and Mary Ann (nee Raine). The couple had married in 1872 and went on to have 14 children but unfortunately 5 died.
The 1901 census shows father, Anthony, was working as a general labourer as was his son of the same name. The other children at that time were named as William, Lilly and Tom.
By 1911 as life had progressed Anthony senior was still a labourer but was now working as a sacking weaver (shoe thread) at the flax mill. Some of his children were also employed at the flax mill including William a labourer, Lilly a thread spinner and Thomas again as a labourer. Gertrude, Tom’s sister, worked as a char woman.
Thomas enlisted at Barnard Castle and was later sent to France.
In March 1917 it was reported in the Teesdale Mercury that he had been hospitalised with trench fever.
The 6th Battalion Durham Light Infantry was attached to 50th Northumbrian Division and engaged in action south of the River Scarpe ie 1st Battle of Scarpe. Wancourt was captured on the 12th April 1917 after very heavy fighting and the advance was continued on the following days.
It is reported that Thomas was serving with a Lewis Gun section and went missing at the same time as Pte. William Waine. It is probable that Thomas was killed in this area on 14th April 1917.
Only 3 months later (9th July 1917) Tom’s older brother, William who also served with the Durham Light Infantry, a lance corporal in the same battalion, was killed in action. He has a Commonwealth War Grave at Warncourt British Cemetery in the same area as his brother.
Thomas Chapman is remembered in Barnard Castle on B135.02, B135.10, B135.12, B135.23 and B135.25
He is also remembered in The DLI Book of Remembrance page 84
