251230 Pte. Jack Chapman British Army 3rd Survey Regiment, Sound Ranging Battery Royal Artillery from:Manchester (d.102 St James Rd, Orrell) Jack Chapman joined up in April 1932 and trained with the Royal Artillery T Battery at Woolwich, 1 of 6 training batteries.
He was then posted to F Battery at Aldershot.
From September to December 1932 he was sent to Egypt as a member of A Battery, Chestnut Troop on the troopship Nevasa and was billeted outside Cairo at Abasia.
Jack was kicked by horse in the stomach and was operated on in Egypt then returned home on the troopship Neuralia. From February to September 1933 he spent 7 months in Netley Military Hospital at Southampton.
He was then sent to Woolwich then to Salisbury Plain, and posted to K Battery RHA at Newport, by end of 1933.
He served Newport until Autumn 1936 then went to St. John’s Wood.
Jack rode in the Coronation in 1936 and the Musical Ride at Olympia in 1937
He finished regular Army Service on the 10th of December 1937 and transferred to the Reserve
He was called up from Reserve on the 15th of June 1939 for training until the 15th of August.
Jack was recalled on the 2nd September 1939 to served with the Royal Artillery and joined the Sound Ranging Battery, 3rd Survey Regiment, Royal Artillery. They were sent as part of British Expeditionary Force to France and were billeted at Haynes near Arras.
He took part in the retreat to Dunkirk in 1940. Back in England he was posted to 2nd Survey Regiment, then volunteered to join a Field Battery made up of 6 pounder guns from Hood. He was sent to Weedon Baracks, Northampton. They received Mules and became 454th Battery, part of 3rd Mountain Regiment. Served across Scotland, based at Muir of Ord.
He finished call up in December 1945.
From memory Jack also mentioned Kyle of Lochalsh where he said he was when his daughter was born in January 1942. I believe he was also in North Wales at training with the Mountain Regiment prior to Scotland.
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