CHOPPEN – Fred Choppen (1889-1916)
Fred CHOPPEN was born in 1889 in Thundersley, Essex. He enlisted into the 7th King’s Royal Rifle Corps on 22nd Feb 1915 and was killed in action 15th Sep 1916 age 27.
Fred CHOPPEN was born in 1889 in Thundersley, Essex. He enlisted into the 7th King’s Royal Rifle Corps on 22nd Feb 1915 and was killed in action 15th Sep 1916 age 27.
Frederick CARTER was born Mar 1900 in Southchurch, Essex. He enlisted underage at 14 (almost 15) into the 10th Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort’s Own) in Mar 1915 and was killed in action on 3rd Sep 1916 age 16.
Harold Henry CALVERLEY was born in 1896 in Hadleigh, Essex. Shortly after war broke out, he enlisted as a Private into the Royal Fusiliers (London Regiment) 12th Battalion. He disembarked for France on 1st Sep 1915 and just 28 days later, on 28th Sep 1915, he was listed as missing in action. He was later presumed to have been killed on this date during the Battle of Loos. Harold was 19 years old.
Herbert John BUSH was born in 1885 at Rawreth, Essex. He enlisted into the Essex Regiment 2nd Battalion in Mar 1916 and was killed in action on 15 Oct 1916.
John Albert Arnold (aka John Albert Clarke) was born in 1899 in Islington, London. He enlisted twice underage and for a third time with the London Regiment. He died from wounds after the battle of Villers-Bretonneux on 25th April 1918.
Sidney Charles ALLEN was born 1894 and his brother James Edward ALLEN in 1896, both in Hadleigh. Sidney enlisted into the Royal Garrison Artillery (Anti-Aircraft Depot) in 1915 and died at Carisbrook Military Hospital 25th Apr 1918. James enlisted into the Essex Regiment (1st/9th Battalion) in 1914 and died 8th Apr 1919, the last soldier to die from the town.
We walk past and sit on park benches everyday, many of which have plaques in remembrance to departed loved ones. It suddenly dawned one me not too long ago that I had never taken the time to read the inscriptions properly before, and being both artist and genealogist, thought it would make a really interesting project to photograph each bench and do a little research into each person named.