Pre WW1 army records - is this a hopeless case?

[Merry Monty Montgomery]

I'm struggling with a family with a common name........

1911 census:

Thomas CHAPMAN b 1861/62 Brighton Occ Publican
Elizabeth wife b 1872/73 Isle of Sheppey Kent
Ethel dau b 1893 Canterbury Kent
Charles son b 1901 Rawalpindi, India
Maurice son b 1903/4 Wynberg, South Africa

I understand from Thomas' great-granddaughter that he was in the army when Charles was born.

My problem is that they say they have had six children with three still living. I have found a very likely additional daughter b in Rawalpindi in 1896 who presumably died, but there are no others showing on the IGI. I was thinking there could be something about the other children on Thomas' army record, but with such a common name would it be impossible to source?

[KiteRunner]

If you can get Ethel's birth certificate then maybe it will give details of his regiment and rank and perhaps even number. Also if you can find the overseas births on the regimental births in the overseas indexes I think it might give details of regiment.

[Phoenix]

It ought to be really easy, Merry.

Kew has boxes of records, sorted in alpha order. Not burnt!!

They should show next of kin & children. You would at the least be able to identify "your" Thomas Chapman & follow him through the army. At best, he would give his father as next of kin (with address!) and then the full details of the marriage.

[KiteRunner]

*lols at thought of Merry going to Kew to look through the boxes, sorry Merry*

[Merry Monty Montgomery]

If you can get Ethel's birth certificate then maybe it will give details of his regiment and rank and perhaps even number. Also if you can find the overseas births on the regimental births in the overseas indexes I think it might give details of regiment.

For some reason I wasn't expecting him to be in the army when Ethel was born, but you're right, he might have been!

Erm.....I don't have a sub to FMP *looks suitably pathetic*

[Phoenix]

And it ought to record children born during his service.

[Phoenix]

*lols at thought of Merry going to Kew to look through the boxes, sorry Merry*

Bad girl, Kite! Merry can always ask if someone is going to Kew.

[Merry Monty Montgomery]

Bad girl, Kite! Merry can always ask if someone is going to Kew.

I can't imagine asking someone to search for a Thomas Chapman!!

*looks pointedly at Phoenix* (only joking!)

[JudithM]

GRO Army Birth Indices has these possible CHAPMAN births:
name station year page
Elsie Rawalpindi 1896 190
Thomas Robert Rawlpindi 1898 125 (or 123)
Elizabeth Rawalpindi 1899 124

Charles Rawal Pindi 1901 108
Maurice Edward Wynberg 1905 727

[Merry Monty Montgomery]

Oooh thanks you so much Judith!!! That's really great.

I may get the birth cert for Charles as well as Edith then, as Charles' cert was definitely during his father's army service and Ethel's will definitely have mum's maiden name!!

(I hate to say definitely! lol)

Thanks again Judith

[JudithM]

Glad to have helped

and found these deaths on GRO Army Death Indices :
Elsie 1 Rawalpindi 1898 116
Elizabeth 0 Rawalpindi 1899 181

[Merry Monty Montgomery]

Thank you.

Very sad.