Arthur Chaplin
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- Military History
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CWGC Additional information: 'Son of William and Jenny Chaplin, of Nottingham. He was the son of William and Jenny Chaplin, of Nottingham.' The Royal Navy notified Arthur's sister, Amy, of 58 Oxberry Avenue, Fulham, London, of her brother's death. The RN record does not give his sister's surname. Arthur may have been the son of William Chaplin and Ann Jane (also Jane Ann) Grantham who were married at Sneinton St Matthias on 2 July 1882. Both William (20), a slater, and Ann (20), a machinist, lived at Hawkridge Street, Nottingham. The couple probably had three children who were born in Nottingham and baptised at St Mary's parish church: Amy b. 1882 bap. February 1888, Arthur b. 1885 (A/M/J) bap. 27 January 1888 and Harry b. November 1887 bap. 27 January 1888. Arthur and Harry's birth registrations gave their mother's maiden name as Grantham while Arthur's baptismal register gave his date of birth as 4 March 1885, which was the month before the period in which his birth was registered. However, Arthur's RN record gave his date of birth as 15 January 1886. Note: no other Nottingham birth registrations for a Harry Chaplin in a similar period result in a likely identity. At the time the children were baptised in 1888 the family was living at 2 Wool Alley, Nottingham. Neither Arthur's parents nor his younger brother Harry have yet been traced on the census records between 1891 and 1911. In 1891 Arthur (5-sic), birthplace 'not known', was a boarder in the home of Samuel Hayes, a coal miner, his wife and their two young sons, at Vicarage Yard, Main Street, Blidworth. By 1901 Arthur (17-sic), a coal miner and pony driver, was a boarder in the household of Joseph Foster, a farmer and coal sorter (colliery), at Rock Farm, Blidworth. Arthur joined the Royal Navy four years later. His sister Amy (18) may have been a domestic servant in the home of Richard Percy, a mining engineer, and his family at Colwick Road, Nottingham, in 1901.
Arthur joined the Royal Navy on 18 May 1905 on a 12 year Short Service engagement (5 years with the Fleet, 7 years in Reserve). He served in the following ships and shore establishments: HMS Nelson, 18 May 1905-20 October 1905 (Stoker 2nd Class), Victory II, 21 October 1905-4 November 1905; HMS Grafton, 5 November 1905-26 August 1906 (Stoker, 1 April 1906, Stoker 1st Class, 1 July 1906); HMS Gladiator, 27 August 1906-14 September 1906; HMS Proserpine, 15 September 1906-21 September 1908; HMS Sappho, 22 September 1908-30 October 1908; HMS Victory, 31 October 1908-12 December 1908; HMS Dryad, 13 December 1908-17 May 1910, Victory II, 18 May 1910-18 May 1910. Arthur transferred to the Royal Fleet Reserve, Portsmouth (R.F.R.Po.B.3573) on 19 May 1910. He was mobilized shortly before the outbreak of war and joined HMS Good Hope on 13 July 1914. His Naval record was annotated, ‘NP2788/14. DD [Discharged Dead] 1 November 1914. Lost when HMS Good Hope was sunk in action off Chilean Coast.’ HMS Good Hope was lost with all hands at the Battle of Coronel. Arthur's body was not recovered for burial and he is commemorated on Portsmouth Naval Memorial, Hampshire. HMS Good Hope was a Drake Class Armoured Cruiser. When completed the Drake Class Armoured Cruisers were among the fastest ships in the world; they were good steamers and very economical in service. HMS Good Hope was the flagship of Rear Admiral Sir Christopher Cradock of the South American station during August 1914. A significant number of the ship's company were Reservists (Royal Fleet Reserve) recalled shortly before the outbreak of war. HMS Good Hope (Captain Philip Francklin RN) was accompanied by the cruiser HMS Monmouth, light cruiser HMS Glasgow, Armed Merchant Ship Otranto and pre-Dreadnought battleship HMS Canopus. HMS Good Hope and HMS Monmouth were sunk by gunfire on 1st November 1914 by the German armoured cruisers SMS Scharnhorst and SMS Gneisenau off the Chilean Coast during the Battle of Coronel. There were no survivors from either ship. HMS Glasgow was damaged but managed to escape as did Otranto, while HMS Canopus, unable to maintain the speed of the squadron, did not participate in the battle. Captain Francklin is commemorated on the Gonalston war memorial (see record on this Roll of Honour).
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