John H Chapman RA

Here are some photos taken during WW2.
It's my grandad John Henry Chapman. All I know about him is he was in the Royal Artillery but don't know what unit or battery.
Also known as "Jack" he was born in 1913 in Camden, London.

I was told he was a prisoner of the Japanese but i cant find any details of that. If anyone has any ideas where these pictures may have been taken it would be a start.
Thanks in advance for any kind of information

 

Welcome aboard. There is plenty of knowledge and expertise here.

We always recommend applying for the Service Record. It is the definitive account of his service. Yes, it can take time and regularly has good and disappointing responses. A very short note (copied from Clive): you will need his date of birth and death cert available here for £7 https://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/ Link for service records
Select the service - Apply for a deceased person's military record - GOV.UK

It is vital you add his full name, Date of Birth, Service Number and if known their unit. Members can check their resources and do some online research. Others may be looking now and in the future for them; we regularly have people join who have found a post or thread about a relative.

It might be worth checking if there is a local newspaper article about him. Most public libraries have access to the British Newspaper Archive when in the library, not online.

On your current information he has not appeared here before today.

It helps to add a ‘tag’ when you create a thread, only you can do this. It is for the formation / corps involved or a theme like intelligence. Searching tags can identify threads, otherwise it takes a bit longer.

Some help via PM next; which is a now four pg. PDF. Also available on: WW2 Soldier Research - Tips and Links for New Researchers (update) Plus: How to Start a new Thread / Edit Post / Upload Image

 

I see you have posted a similar request on: Prisoners of War of the Japanese 1942-1945

Apart from the obvious fact the first photo shows standard uniforms for Europe and the others show palm tress plus. I wonder if the gun photo (No. 1) is of a 9.2" gun, used mainly in WW2 in coastal batteries. See a similar picture on: 9.2 inch Gun - The Royal Artillery 1939-45 There are many photos of the various versions of the gun fitted with a shield.

For context view: a 9.2" @ Gibraltar

There were a few 9.2" guns at Singapore. See: Fort Siloso: Mark IV 9·2 Inch BL Gun Since Singapore surrendered to the Japanese that may fit. I cannot recall any other 9.2" guns that fell to the enemy (except in France).

That would possibly indicate he was with a coastal artillery regiment. See: 7 Coast Regiment RA - The Royal Artillery 1939-45

Others here can advise on researching a Japanese POW.

 

Hi

Have a look here - COFEPOW | Children & Families of Far East Prisoners of War
and British and Commonwealth prisoners of the Second World War and the Korean War - The National Archives

regards

Robert

 

Thanks
John Henry Chapman
01/11/1913
I don't know his unit nor his service number but am working on it

 

Is there anything written on the back of the photos? Does anyone in the family have letters for example?

I checked the CWGC site and he is not listed as dying in WW2. Many Japanese-held POW did not talk about their war.

 

No he survived the war he died in 1992

 

Thanks, so that would put him in Connaught Battery

 

Hi,

All you have at the moment is speculation/educated guesswork that can take you down a dead end.

You need to have sight of his service record for the definitive answers. You may be lucky and turn him up on the FEPOW liberation questionnaires or a member may find his entry on the RA enlistment registers on findmypast/ancestry and that will give you an army service number.


Steve

 

Agree with Steve (above post)
Need to positively identify the unit that your Grandfather was in.

A few observations
1st Photo: This looks more like a Coastal Gun in the UK. Uniforms seem the bear this out.
Not sure of the size but it looks a bit small for a 9.2 inch.

Guns QF (Quick Fire) 4.7 inch Mk5 Manufactured in Japan 1918
Originally Designed in UK by Armstrong Whitworth
24 guns were given to UK in WW1 under the Anglo Japanese Alliance
Issued 26th July 1940 Royal Navy Ordnance Depot Priddy’s Yard Gosport

4.7 inch Coast Gun - The Royal Artillery 1939-45

The other photos look to be in the Far East.
If he was a POW of the Japanese how did the photos get home?
Post war, one would expect them to look emaciated, unless they stayed abroad until they put weight on.

I have little experience of Far Eastern forces but the soldiers in the Middle East often had photos taken holding dogs.
These have cats, which suggests that they are post war.

 

Thanks for this information, I've registered and done as you suggested, cheers

 

That number, 1816128, does not appear on the casualty lists which it should do if he was killed in action, wounded, missing, POW etc

His 1941 RA Attestation:

 

Thanks, I will keep checking perhaps I'm wrong about his service number, I've nothing to cross examine so it's proving difficult at the moment

 

Where did you get the number 1816128 from? You do not need it to send off for his official service records and unless you are 101% sure it is better not to quote it.

 

Thanks Tony

 

Michelle as advised please apply for his service records before you go any further. links already provided to get death cert and service records. Take Tony56 advice

 

Are you sure - could it be October?

 

Your absolutely correct, I've just applied for a copy of death cert so I am able to obtain military record
Thanks very much as all and any help and advice is much appreciated