Private Samuel Alfred Chapple
2/4th (Reserve) Battalion, Devonshire regiment
Died in hospital
Date of Birth: November 1890
Place of Birth: Ilfracoombe
Date of Death: 8 January 1917 aged 26.
Buried: Teignmouth Cemetery, Remembered on Ilfracombe Memorial and Dawlish Memorial, Devon
Private Samuel Alfred (Fred) Chapple age 26.
Born in Ilfracombe November 1890, his parents were Samuel and Ellen Chapple. In 1901 census the family was living at 14 Victoria Road, Ilfracombe.
Devonshire Regiment
cap badge
School records for 1896 and 1897 show that Samuel attended Holy Trinity Church of England School for Boys in Ilfracombe. He was also mentioned in Dawlish Boy’s School Roll of Honour. However, he appears on Holy Trinity School records as attending evening class during 1908, he is listed as a hairdresser and is taking a French class.
On the 1911 census Samuel appears living in Paignton working as a hairdresser for the Trewin family with whom he was boarding. In 1915 he married Florence Emily Thomas of 23 Fore St, Teignmouth; his records list him as the son-in-law of Mr & Mrs George Thomas of Teignmouth. His only army record states he was residing at Dawlish, Devon when he enlisted, his widow was listed at 23 Fore Street, Teignmouth, Devon.
In 1914 prior to the outbreak of WW1 he was listed in the Teignmouth detachment of 5th Devonshire Territorial Regiment. Samuel served with 4th Reserve Battalion, Devonshire Regiment, service number 4550, and died in hospital at Tidworth, Wiltshire, on 8 January 1917. Buried in Teignmouth Cemetery. Remembered on Ilfracombe Memorial and Dawlish Memorial.
The Death Grant of £2.9s.1d and the War Gratuity of £3.0s.0d were paid to his widow, Florence Emily Chapple.
