Informal portrait of NX21715 Gunner (Gnr) Bruce Chapman, 2/15 Field Regiment, Royal Australian ...

Informal portrait of NX21715 Gunner (Gnr) Bruce Chapman, 2/15 Field Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery, of Chatswood, NSW. A member of the militia forces before enlisting with the 2nd AIF on 28 May 1941, Gnr Chapman embarked in late July for Singapore, where the regiment trained at Nee Soon. Throughout January and February 1942, the regiment was involved in heavy fighting against Japanese forces moving down the Malay Peninsula. As a member of C troop, 30th Battery, Gnr Chapman was wounded at Namazie Estate on 27 January 1942, when his gun position was bombed by the Japanese, in an action that saw two other gunners wounded and NX70475 Lieutenant Harry Hingst killed. Gnr Chapman was admitted to 2/13th Australian General Hospital (AGH) near Johore Bahru for immediate treatment, and was embarked by stretcher for 2/12th AGH at Colombo, Sri Lanka, sometime around 10 February, just before Singapore fell to the Japanese. Gnr Chapman died as a result of his wounds and malaria at 2/12th AGH on 19 March 1942, age 21 years. He is buried at Kanatee Cemetary at Colombo.