Dawlish World War One Project

It is not known when Samuel enlisted but his army record shows that he was residing at Dawlish. His death occurred in hospital at Tidworth, Wiltshire. (see Documents, below)

Samuel came from an Ilfracombe family of six children of Samuel Edward Chapple (1854-1925) and Ellen Blackmore (1853-1932). A detailed family is given in Documents, below.

It is not clear when Samuel left North Devon after 1901, but his appearance on the Dawlish Boys' School Roll of Honour suggests that he may have been sent to a relative in Dawlish. There is a census record of Alfred Chapple, aged 20, boarding with the Trewin household at 21 Palace Avenue, Paignton in 1911. He was shown as a hairdresser's assistant.
In 1915 Samuel married Florence Emily Thomas in Teignmouth in the January to March quarter. Florence E Thomas was from a Teignmouth family which was at 23 Fore Street in 1901 and still there 10 years later. After Florence's marriage to Samuel they may have moved to Dawlish. The record of UK, Soldiers Died in the Great War 1914-1919 gives Samuels' residence as Dawlish and that would also account for his appearance on the Dawlish War Memorial. After his death his widow appears to have returned to her family home which is the address given for her on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission site.  The reference to RW Chapple in the newspaper report (see Document, below) clearly is to Samuel Alfred Chapple. The confusion may arise if the initials belong to his employer, or if he had adopted different Christian names. There is no other WW1 casualty to whom this refers.

He left a widow and a young daughter, Nellie G F Chapple (b.Dec 1915, N.A. Vol 5b, p 132)