Frederick Hardress Chaplin died on this day in 1916.
Frederick Hardress Chaplin was born on 12 Jan 1873 in London, the oldest child of Frederick William Chaplin, a Customs Clerk in Chelsea, and Margaret Lucy née Waller from Dublin.
He had 3 younger sisters - Maud (1874), Olive (1877-79) and Irene (1881).
He was educated at Tyttenhanger Lodge in St Albans and, subsequently, Charterhouse in Godalming.
In May 1899, age 26 and living at The Electric Light Station, Back of The Walls, Southampton, Frederick was admitted as an Associate Member to The Institute of Electrical Engineers. The experience on his entry form showed that he had worked for a year on the staff of Ferranti Ltd, followed by 5 years as the Chief Assistant at the Portsmouth Corporation Electric Light Station. He was currently the Borough Electrical Engineer to the Southampton Corporation
Around this time, he obtained a commission in the Hampshire Garrison Artillery (T.F.).
In the 1901 Census, Frederick age 28, was described as a "Carman and Contractors Manager", and was boarding in a house in Newport Street in Lambeth.
On 11 February 1902, Frederick was seconded for service with the 39th Battalion Imperial Yeomanry. Whilst he was a Captain in the 1st Hampshire Volunteer Artillery, his appointment in the Imperial Yeomanry was as a temporary lieutenant, serving under Captain R. E. Wemyss. The battalion served in South Africa but Frederick was invalided home with severe enteritis.
In 1908, he raised a Heavy Battery which he commanded for 8 years and, on 22 March 1909, Frederick was appointed Adjutant to the Hampshire Garrison Artillery.
On 28 August 1910, he married Frances Tomkins from Southsea at a ceremony in Ladbroke Grove.
In the 1911 Census, he is shown as the Adjutant of the Hampshire RGA, living with Frances at 69 Anglesey Road in Shirley, Southampton
When war broke out, he was stationed at Weymouth. From 30 April 1916, he served in France and Flanders with the Hampshire Heavy Battery, RGA.
As Adjutant, Frederick signed the monthly entries in the Battery War Diary during this period.
On 27 May 1916, Frederick died of heart failure by his guns at Ypres. He was 43.
He is buried in Brandhoek Military Cemetery, Ypres.
Frederick's father died in August 1916; his mother died in November 1918.
Major Frederick Hardress Chaplin, 154 Hampshire Heavy Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery