Great War 1914-1915 Star and Victory Medal pair awarded to Telegraphist C.L. Chapman, Royal Navy who saw wartime service aboard H.M.S. Minotaur where he would take part in the destruction of the radio station on the German held island of Yap and capturing the collier Elsbeth on 11th August 1914. The ship would be unsuccessful in its attempts to locate the light cruiser Emden in the Bay of Bengal in mid-September and then subsequently off the coast of Sumatra. He would later spend the majority of the Great War stationed at Gibraltar and Malta where he would eventually reach the rank of Leading Telegraphist.
Pair: 1914-1915 Star; (240045 C.J. CHAPMAN. TEL. R.N.) Victory Medal; (240045 C.L. CHAPMAN. TEL. R.N.) note differing initials on medals.
Condition: note differing initials on medals, Good Very Fine
Charles Leonard Chapman was born in Nottingham and giving his trade as a Labourer joined for Boy Service on 11th November 1907, initially serving as a Boy 2nd Class with Ganges. On 23rd March 1908 he would move to Impregnable where he would be advanced to Boy 1st Class, and he would formally join the Royal Navy for 12 years service on 13th February 1909 whilst aboard Agamemnon, being appointed an Ordinary Telegraphist. He would be serving aboard Cumberland when appointed a Telegraphist on 23rd November 1909, and by the outbreak of war would be serving aboard Minotaur where he would remain until 3rd May 1915.
Shortly after the start of the First World War, Minotaur, together with the armoured cruiser Hampshire and the light cruiser Newcastle sailed for the German-owned island of Yap. They captured the collier Elsbeth on 11 August and destroyed the radio station there with gunfire. They then unsuccessfully searched for the ships of the East Asia Squadron until the light cruiser Emden was reported to have destroyed several ships in the Bay of Bengal in mid-September. Minotaur was ordered to the west coast of Sumatra to search for the German warship, but was unsuccessful. She was then ordered to escort a troop convoy from Wellington, New Zealand in late September. The ship was detached from the convoy and ordered to proceed to the Cape of Good Hope and reinforce the squadron there on 6 November after the Admiralty learned of the defeat at the Battle of Coronel. Upon her arrival Minotaur became flagship of the Cape of Good Hope Station under the command of Vice Admiral Herbert King-Hall and escorted a South African troop convoy to Luderitz Bay in German South-West Africa. The ship was near Table Bay, South Africa when the East Asia Squadron was destroyed during the Battle of the Falklands in early December and she was ordered home on 8 December
Upon her arrival, Minotaur became flagship of the 7th Cruiser Squadron, under the command of Rear Admiral Arthur Waymouth, based at Cromarty Firth.
For Chapman, a short period aboard Lancaster occurred between 3rd May 1915 and 29th July 1915 when he would move back to Defiance. From 4th November he would serve aboard H.M.S. Narcissus, a position he held until transferred to Cormorant at Gibraltar on 1st June 1916. He would remain there until 13th November 1917 when he would be transferred to Egmont at Malta, subsequently being appointed Leading Telegraphist on 19th January 1918. With some short exceptions, the next seven years would largely comprise shore service, and towards the end of this period he would be awarded at Long Service and Good Conduct Medal on 25th August 1924. He would be posted to Hood on 8th May 1925 where he would remain serving as a Leading Telegraphist until 27th August 1928. He would be pensioned ashore on 12th February 1931.
Recalled just prior to the outbreak of the Second World War he saw service as a leading Telegraphist from 31st July 1939, the last entry on his service sheet confirming his character as very good on 31st December 1941.
