Pte Horace George Chapman, 2678, 1st/24th London Regiment, was killed in action in a charge at Givenchy on May 26th, 1915. Born in Luton, he was aged 24 and was the son of Harry and Sarah Elizabeth Chapman, of 31 Ashburnham Road.

He was at first thought to have been wounded and in hospital, but in early July he was reported missing. A friend with whom he enlisted, L-Cpl Edward Cannon, of 62 Chapel Street, Luton, was with Pte Chapman when the order was given to charge but lost sight of him in the ensuing smoke.

Another pal, Pte Chalkley, said Pte Chapman was lying nearby when he was wounded in the leg. They both started to crawl back to their trenches, but it was impossible for them to keep together, as heaps of wounded were lying about, and bullets were still raining on them.

Enquiries with the British Red Cross Society revealed that there was no evidence to show whether Pte Chapman was fetched in by stretcher bearers.

It was not until April 1916 that the Teritorial Force Record Office in London wrote to Mr and Mrs Chapman stating: "No further news having been received, the Army Council have been regretfully constrained to believe that he is dead, and that the death took place on May 26th, 1915."

At the time of the 1911 Census, he was a warehouseman living with his parents, a brother, a sister and his widowed grandmother at 31 Ashburnham Road, Luton. Ten years previously they were living at 28 Grove Road.

Pte Chapman had been employed for some time by hat manufacturer Thomas Burley, of Bute Street, but prior to enlistment he was engaged by Messrs Horace Slade Ltd, of St Albans.