The AIF Project

Robert Charles CHAPPLE

Regimental number2598
Place of birthFitzroy, Victoria
SchoolState school, Victoria
ReligionChurch of England
OccupationBookbinder
Address56 Gladstone Avenue, Northcote, Victoria
Marital statusSingle
Age at embarkation22
Height5' 5.75"
Weight140 lbs
Next of kinFather, S J Chapple, 56 Gladstone Avenue, Northcote, Victoria
Previous military serviceNil
Enlistment date2 August 1915
Place of enlistmentMelbourne, Victoria
Rank on enlistmentPrivate
Unit name23rd Battalion, 6th Reinforcement
AWM Embarkation Roll number23/40/2
Embarkation detailsUnit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board HMAT A38 Ulysses on 27 October 1915
Rank from Nominal RollPrivate
Unit from Nominal Roll58th Battalion
FateKilled in Action 19 July 1916
Place of death or woundingFleurbaix, France (Battle of Fromelles)
Age at death24
Age at death from cemetery records24
Place of burialRation Farm Military Cemetery (Plot VI, Row F, Grave No. 45), La Chapelle d'Armentieres, France
Panel number, Roll of Honour,
  Australian War Memorial
165
Miscellaneous information from
  cemetery records
Parents: Sydney and Emily CHAPPLE, 56 Gladstone Avenue, Northcote, Victoria. Native of Fitzroy, Victoria
Other details

War service: Egypt, Western Front

Allotted to, and proceeded to 58th Bn from 6th Training Bn, Zeitoun, 23 February 1916; taken on strength of 58th Bn, Tel el Kebir, 23 February 1916.

To hospital, Canal Zone, 29 March 1916; admitted to No 4 Field Ambulance, Serapeum, 30 March 1916, and transferred to No 1 Stationary Hospital, the same day (debility); to No 8 Field Ambulance, Ferry Post, 31 March 1916; discharged and rejoined unit, 1 April 1916.

Embarked Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Force, 17 June 1916; disembarked Marseilles, France, 23 June 1916.

Posted missing, 19 July 1916.

Court of Enquiry, held in the field, 1 September 1917, pronounced fate as 'Killed in Action, 19 July 1917'.

Note on bottom of B.103, 'buried in vicinity of Fleurbaix'.

Statement, Red Cross File No 720411, 1861 Pte R.V. QUICK, C Company, 58th Bn, 24 March 1917: 'Informant states that he saw him killed in V.C. Avenue, at Bois Greinior (sic), July 19th in the afternoon and was on a Wednesday. He was lying dead at the bottom of a trench. He did not see him buried ... He was killed by a high explosive.'

Medals: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal
SourcesNAA: B2455, CHAPPLE Robert Charles
Red Cross file 720411

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