Arthur Reckless Chappell
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- Military History
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Arthur Reckless Chappell was born in 1899 at Newark and was the son of Charles a maltsters bag mender and Emily Reckless Chappell née Walker. His father Charles was born in 1852 at Newark, he died on 20th March 1919 at Balderton aged 66 yrs of influenza and pneumonia and his mother Emily Reckless Walker was born in 1867 at Wigan, they were married in 1887 at Newark, they went on to have 9 children, sadly 5 were to die in infancy or early childhood, their surviving children were Charles William b1891, Harry b1895, Arthur Reckless b1898 and Violet May b1906. In the 1911 census the family are living at 2 Brittannia Buildings Parliament Street, Newark, they are shown as Charles 59 yrs a maltsters bag mender, he is living with his children Charles William 20 yrs a shorthand typewriter clerk, Harry 16 yrs a general labourer, Arthur Reckless 12 yrs a scholar and Violet May 6 yrs His mother is not listed at the home address on the 1911 census and no trace can be found of her on the census. However according to the CWGC records upon the death of Harry Reckless his mother was residing at 57 Mitchell Street Radford Nottingham.
Arthur Reckless Chappell enlisted on 10th October 1915 at Newark, he gave his age as 19 yrs and 133 days, (his birth is recorded in 1898 and in 1911 census was 12 yrs of age so was therefore only possibly 17 yrs of age ) he stated he was a labourer and lived at 2 Britannia Buildings, Parliament Street, Newark, his next of kin was his father Charles of the same address, he stated his religion was that of a Wesleyan. He was posted to the Derby Depot on 13th October and was posted to the 18th battalion Sherwood Foresters. He embarked on 29th June 1916 from Southampton landing at Le Harve the following day. On the 11th July 1916 he was posted to the 1/12th (County of London) battalion (The Rangers). On 9th September 1916 he was wounded n action a gun shot wound to his hand, he was admitted to the 38 casualty clearing station and on 12th September 1916 was retuned to England for treatment to his wound. Following treatment and recovery he once again went to France on 6th July 1917. On the 20th November 1917 he developed pleurisy and was admitted to hospital at Rouen and once again was returned to England for treatment on 22nd November 1917. He was discharged from hospital on 22nd January 1918 and once again in early July 1918 embarked from Folkstone to Boulogne and joined his unit in the field on 11th July 1918. He was killed in action on 23rd September 1918 and is commemorated on the Vis-en-Artois Memorial, Pas de Calais, France.
His brother Private Harry Chappell, enlisted at Hucknall and initially served with service number 4107 in the Sherwood Foresters Regiment before transferring to the 10th Battalion Warwickshire Regiment He died of pneumonia on 29th October 1916 and is buried in Puchevillers British Cemetery, Somme Article published 18th October 1918 in the Newark Herald :- Youngest son of Charles & Emily Chappell, 2 Brittania Buildings, Parliament Street, Newark. As a boy attended Christ Church School and the Primitive Methodist Sunday School, in which he took a great interest. Worked at Messrs. Cafferata & Co. before enlisting on Oct. 10th, 1915. He commenced training at Derby, later at Woking, in the Notts & Derby Regt. before transfer to 12th London.
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