Source: Per photo of this soldier’s graffiti at Bouvigny School submitted by Quentin de Givenchy at the 18th Battalion Facebook Group.
Graffiti at Bouvigny-Boyffles, Pas-de-Calais, France.
This man enlisted with the 219th Battalion on March 29, 1916, at Wolfville, Nova Scotia. He was a 18-year old Presbyterian banker and was born at Amherst, Cumberland County, Nova Scotia. Hie listed his father William Roger Chapman of 41 Spring Street, Amherst, Nova Scotia as his next of kin. Standing 5’1″ tall he was above average height for a soldier in the CEF at that time.
He arrive in England aboard the SS Olympic on October 18, 1916 and was admitted to Bramshott Military Hospital on December 21, 1916 with influenza. He was discharged on January 11, 1917, and was struck off strength from the 219th Battalion to the 17th Reserve Battalion. He then passed to the 4th Reserve Battalion on June 4, 1917, in preparation for reinforcing a battalion of the Western Ontario Regiment.
On June 5, 1917, he was taken ons strength with the 18th Battalion and after passing from England to France he arrived “in the field” with the 18th Battalion on June 11, 1917.
He served with the Battalion and was granted a 14-days leave to the Biarritz on January 8, 1918.
Returning from his leave he was wounded on March 31, 1918 in the face and knee and required medical treatment in France from tahat date until April 16, 1918. He recupurated and returned to active duty with the Battalion on August 18, 1918.
He was granted another 14-days leave on January 7, 1919, in England and rejoined the 18th Battlion on the 31st.
With the rest of the Battalion, he proceeded to England from France on April 4, 1919, and returned to Canada.
He was demobilized on May 24, 1919, at London, Ontario where the 18th Battalion was disbanded upon its return to Canada.
His service record shows he returned to his home at 41 Spring Street, Amherst, Nova Scotia after the war.
Graffiti at Bouvigny School submitted by Quentin de Givenchy at the 18th Battalion Facebook Group.
History of the 18th Battalion CEF, "The Fighting Eighteenth" 