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The only photograph we have of William Chapman. The caption is
1. Arthur George Carter (Jack), 2. Ethel Lucy Carter née Wade, 3. David 'Colonel' Carter, 4.Jackie Carter née Chapman, 5. William Chapman

William was born 23 February 1917 at Mortimers Cottage, West Mersea. He was the son of Alfred Joseph and Elsie Eva Chapman. Alfred was a Horseman. In 1931 and 1939 they are living at 7 Council Houses, East Road.

In WW2, joined the 2/5th Battalion of the Essex Regiment, along with several other men from Mersea.

The Battle of Deir-El-Shein on the 1 July 1942, in which the 2/5th Battalion, The Essex Regiment, fought with particular distinction, marked the turning point of the desert campaign in that year. The actions of the 2/5th were recognized by the award of a Battle Honour to the Essex Regiment. Rommel had forced a general withdrawal of the Allied forces, and they stopped here to stand and fight at what was to become known as the Alamein Line.

William was captured 1 July 1942 - the only details we have for the rest of the War are from the National Archives.
- 1 July 1942 Missing, Western Desert. Archive WO 417/48 13 Aug 1942
Previously reported Missing, now Prisoner of War Archive 3 Nov 1942
- 1943 PoW Camp PG70 Monturano (Parma) [in Italy] Archive WO392/21

Monturano was a large camp with 7,000 prisoners. Many of the buildings still exist. There is a gap in the records for William, and the following is speculation at the moment.
Italy surrendered 8 September 1943. The Senior British Officer asked the prisoners to stay in the camp. There were Italian and English Guards, but some men decided to ignore the order and escaped.
The Germans took over Monturano and shipped the bulk of the 7,000 inmates up to Germany or Poland. Some escaped from a train along the way.
The following record suggests that William escaped, one way or another. The record is undated.
In camp 7A Stalag VIIA Moosburg. Date of capture 16 Apr 1944. Theatre of capture Mantova (Mantua) [in Italy southeast of Milan] Prisoner 128401. Archive WO 416/63/31
[Moosburg was the largest German PoW Camp, situated in Southern Bavaria. It was partly a transit camp and handled many PoWs who had come from Italy after the Italian surrender.]

'Prisoners of War held in Germany 1945': W.C. Chapman at Stalag 11A, Altengrabow, Germany.
31 May 1945 reported as former Prisoner of War in German Hands, not now PoW. Archive WO417_92_2.

William ( 'Bill' ) returned to the UK and worked as a house painter. 1951 - 1965 he was living at 6 Roach Terrace, Dawes Lane, West Mersea. When his wife Dorothy died, he married again October 1967 Eugenie Jessie Newman, and they lived 43 Prince Albert Road.

Other local men at Deir-el-Shein:
Clem Smith - captured El Alamein. Escaped from Italian PoW camp and on the run in Italy for 10 months. See WW2_CSM
Geoff Green - captured with Clem, Italian Prisoner of War. See WW2_GFG
John Dixon - captured with Geoff and Clem, with John in Grignasco PoW Camp, escaped to Switzerland and returned to UK 20 November 1944. See WW2_FJD
Henry Nesmyth, who lived in The Lane West Mersea and was killed 1 July 1942. See WW2_NSM
Stanley Victor Neville of Langenhoe was captured and went to a German Prisoner of War Camp. He died 25 December 1944 as a result of Allied Bombing on the factory where he was being forced to work.
See NEVILLE Stanley Victor (PDF file opens in a new window).

Thanks to
Carol Wyatt

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