Thomas Chapman 1st Lancashire Fusiliers

[Gareth Davies]

Thomas Chapman served in the 1st Bn Lancashire Fusiliers and he was killed on 1 July 1916.  He is buried in Thiepval Anglo French cemetery, his body having bene exhumed from its original burial spot at the sunken lane.  I have been through the records for all the 1st Bn LF men who died on 1 Jul 16 and as far as I can tell he is the only one who was buried at 57d Q.4.d.6.7 (Beaumont Hamel cemetery is 57d Q.4.d.7.5 according to the W3372s).  Was he a one off or is it simply the case that the move of bodies from the sunken lane to BH cemetery was such a short distance that there was no need for a concentration record?

[thetrenchrat22]

The Anglo-French cemetery register does state

 

The bodies were found in December 1931 and January-March 1932, some as far north as Loos and as far south as Le Quesnel, but the majority came from the Somme battlefields of July-November 1916. Of the 300 French dead, 253 are unidentified.

 

so, it looks like his body was found in 1931/1932.  

 

His pals, were buired together and the place was turned into a cemetery 

[Gareth Davies]

Indeed, the concentration report is dated Dec 31.  But that still doesn't resolve my query.  

[thetrenchrat22]

1 hour ago, Gareth Davies said:

Indeed, the concentration report is dated Dec 31.  But that still doesn't resolve my query.  

 

It is possible that the COB have not survived for those that were brought it the cemetery.  

 

Would be the only explanation.

[Cheshire22]

17 hours ago, thetrenchrat22 said:

 

It is possible that the COB have not survived for those that were brought it the cemetery.  

 

Would be the only explanation.

 

Ive only spent a couple of months, at this type of information available on the CWGC website.  

 

I believe that the Graves Registration Report Forms are filled in after the Concentration Of Burial Forms have been typed up. 

 

Therefore, how would they know who is buried underneath the cross, as when the remains were found a search of the body was made for means of identification. 

 

It would be best to contact the CWGC and ask them if they have the Concentration Of Burial Report Forms for the Cemetery you are looking at.  

 

It is possible they have never been scanned and attached to each individual or they have been lost. 

 

Jamie

[Jarry17]

I gather I’m a bit late to the party, but from what I’m gathering is that he was found in 1931/32, and that “No” on his concentration report tells you that there is nothing marking his grave, so likely it was brought up by either a farmer or just found, reason he’s at Thiepval is that they had a habit of, if a body was found after the small cemetery’s are built, they move them to a lager one. Thiepval was also being built at this point so that’s probably why he ended up there.

Hope this helps.

Jarry

Edited 23 August , 2019 by Jarry17