WW1 look up - John Edward Thornton Chappell

[kchappell]

I am trying to find my great grandfather, John Edward Thornton Chappell. I know that he was in the war but I cannot find any record of him. He married his second wife, Annie in 1914 in Henley, Berkshire. There is a rumour, also, that he had a photography shop in Reading, Berkshire as he was a Travel Salesman for photography. He was born around 1882 so would be about 36 years old at the beginning of the war. He had a son from his previous marriage. I do not know how to go about finding him. I've tried through both ancestry and find-my-past with no success.

[nanny jan]

Unfortunately around 70% of WW1 service records were destroyed during the Blitz in WW2;  his record might be lost.

[CaroleW]

He married as John T Chappell but his 1948 death reg shows his full names as you have given

The WW1 Medal Roll Index only has 1 entry for a John E Chappell but no John E T. 

[mmm45]

There's a Labour Corps John E Chappell - the other John E Chappell has a service record for East Yorks Regiment 
Do you have any photos?

Ady

[kchappell]

I have no photographs, unfortunately. We thought we had one but it seemed to have gone missing. I don't know a lot about him. Other than he had a bit of a life - a rough one.

[Capetown]

Assume you have found this following information on National Archives, where you can order in advance if you visit Kew or obtain a quote for a copy to be sent to you.

Reference:  J77/1604/9794

Description:  Divorce Court File : 9794

Appellant:  John Thornton Chappell
Respondent:  Annie Violet Chappell
Co-respondent:  Harry Smith
Type:  Husband’s petition for divorce (hd)

Date:  1920

Held by:  The National Archives Kew

Legal status:  Public Record(s)

Closure status:  Open Document, Open Description

[kchappell]

Assume you have found this following information on National Archives, where you can order in advance if you visit Kew or obtain a quote for a copy to be sent to you.

Reference:  J77/1604/9794

Description:  Divorce Court File : 9794

Appellant:  John Thornton Chappell
Respondent:  Annie Violet Chappell
Co-respondent:  Harry Smith
Type:  Husband’s petition for divorce (hd)

Date:  1920

Held by:  The National Archives Kew

Legal status:  Public Record(s)

Closure status:  Open Document, Open Description

Yes, I knew about this. Thank you

[Jomot]

Do you have the 1915 birth or 1917 death certificate for his son Ronald Edward George? If he was serving at that time, one or other of them may give his regiment.

Interesting that there's no birth registration for John Edward Thornton Chappell, and he first appears with his parents in the 1901 census, aged 17.

1939 register gives his DoB as 2 Nov 1885, but ancestry trees say 2 Nov 1884 or 2 Nov 1882 (private tree, but same owner as a public tree saying 2 Nov 1884  ).

[osprey]

post on his early life here

https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=866234.0