PJ’s Family History -- WWI Lewis

46642, Pte. Lewis Parkinson Chapman

2nd Btn. Northamptonshire Regiment

Lewis Parkinson Chapman

Lewis Parkinson Chapman was born on 12th October 1884 at Peterborough, Northamptonshire to parents Parkinson and Sarah Ann Chapman (nee Bird). He was their third child and second son after Jessie Louisa (born 1881) and William Ashwell (born 1883). Lewis inherited his father’s unusual Christian name, Parkinson, which was his Lewis’ paternal great grandmother’s maiden name. He grew up in Peterborough, living with his family at 27 Ackland Street during the early 1880s. By 1891 the family had moved to 3 Hampden Terrace, North Gladstone Street. On 21st March 1899 his father died of Paralysis of the Insane – an effect of tertiary syphylis, aged only 43 years old. Two years later Lewis’ grandfather Ashwell Chapman died, followed in 1902 by Ashwell’s wife Eliza. Ashwell had accumulated a considerable estate during his life and upon his death this was left to his wife Eliza, who subsequently left it to her six children. As Parkinson was dead, his children each received an equal amount of his share of the estate.

Lewis worked as butcher during the early 20th century and lived at 28 Crawthorne Street. On 3rd April 1910 he married Kingston Lorania Sarah Searle at St Mary’s Church, Peterborough. After the marriage they set-up home in Newark, Peterborough. On 13th February 1912 his wife Sarah gave birth to their daughter, Evelyn Norah Parkinson.

On 4th August 1914 Germany invaded Belgium to provide themselves with a free passage for their troops to attack France. As a result Britain declared war on Germany the same day to protect the neutrality of its Ally, thus Britain was involved in what was to become the First World War.

When mobilisation of the British army was ordered the recruiting offices were swamped with volunteers (33,000 per day in September 1914), however the rush slowed and in July 1915 the National Registration Act provided for the listing of all men aged 18-41 (Lewis was 31). In October 1915 the ‘Derby Scheme’ (organised by the Earl of Derby) was introduced. This provided for the enlistment of recruits for one day’s service, then passing to the reserve for call-up when required. This brought in some two million men by the end of the year. Lewis volunteered for enlistment under the Derby Scheme with the 3rd Northamptonshire Regiment on 10th December 1915. He was attested in Peterborough at the Market Place recruiting Office. At the time of his attestation Lewis is described as being 5ft 2in. tall, a 34 in. chest, with a weight of 120 lbs and of fair-good physical development. He is also described as having suffered from Scabies and having ‘deficient’ teeth that subject to dental treatment would render him fit for general service. Lewis’ occupation is shown on the form as being a Goods Porter, though it is not clear when he stopped being a butcher.

Lewis served his 1 day with the colours and then passed into the reserve. Men that enlisted under the Derby scheme were usually given an armband to wear that had a red crown on it. The men wore this armband to show others that they were'doing their bit' for their country and that they were waiting to be called up for military service. This offered them some protection from the 'White Feather Brigade' - women who would give or send men of enlistment age (18-41) still in civillian clothing white feathers (a sign of cowardice), as well as hurling verbal abuse at them in public, in an attempt to bully them into signing up.

Although the Derby Scheme was successful at recruiting more men, half of them were married men (as was Lewis) whom the government had pledged would not be called before single men. Insufficient volunteers were forthcoming and conscription was introduced by the Military Service Act of January 1916. This rendered all single men aged 18-41 liable for service, extended to married men from May 1916.

Lewis was called up for general service on Tuesday 17th April 1917. He completed his basic training and embarked at Folkestone for Boulogne, France on 2nd July 1917. The following day he joined the 17th Infantry Brigade at Calais. Lewis appears to have spent much of his time in France attached to the 129th Co. Royal Engineers.

On 15th March 1918 Lewis was given two weeks leave before returning to active service in France on 30th March. On 29th April he was posted to the 2nd Battalion and it was whilst serving with this unit that he went missing on 27th May 1918. It was later discovered that he was captured and being held in a Prisoner of War Camp in Germany.

Headstone in remembrance of Lewis at Peterborough

Lewis died at 10p.m. on 3rd August 1918. The cause of death was not released by the German authorities at the Giessen PoW Camp but it is likely that he was suffering from either sickness or a wound received prior to his capture. His wife Sarah was informed of his death only on 17th September 1918.

Lewis is interned at the Niederzwehren Cemetery, Germany although he was probably originally buried at Giessen. In 1922 the cemetery that served Niederzwehren PoW Camp was chosen as one of four permanent cemeteries to which British dead in Germany should be gathered. In the following four years 1,535 graves were brought into the cemetery from Baden, Bavaria, Hanover, Hesse, Saxony, and Westphalia.

Lewis is remembered at the Eastfield Cemetery, Peterborough where the following inscription was added to his mothers headstone when she died in 1926.

Lewis was a first cousin of my Great Grandfather, Arthur Chapman, thus he was my first cousin, three removed.

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