7318 QUARTERMASTER SERGEANT
THOMAS JAMES CHATFIELD
ROYAL ENGINEERS
Pre-Service Data and
Physical Description
Thomas James Chatfield was born in Cuckfield Parish, Sussex in February of 1843. At the time of his enlistment in the Army, Chatfield was 19 years and 8 months old. His medical examination on enlistment indicated that he was 5'-6" tall, had a chest measurement of 35 inches, a regular pulse of 80 beats per minute and a respiration of 20 per minute. His muscular development was noted to be good. Chatfield showed no signs of having had smallpox and had a vaccination mark on his left arm indicating that he had been successfully vaccinated as an infant. He had a dark complexion, brown hair, dark eyes and no distinctive marks of any kind on his body.
Chatfield was a carpenter by trade. He was not married at the time of his enlistment, nor had he had any prior military service.
Enlistment
Chatfield was enlisted in the Royal Engineers at Chatham, Kent on the 13th of October 1862. He enlisted for a bounty of two pounds and a free kit, and declared a willingness to serve in the Royal Engineers for a period of twelve years. Chatfield took the oath of attestation at Rochester at 11:45 p.m. on the 15th of October 1862 in front of a magistrate. On this same date he was declared to be medically fit for military service. On the 16th of October Chatfield's enlistment was certified by the Assistant Adjutant General, Royal Engineers.
Record of Service
Chatfield was given the Regimental Number 7318 and the rank of Sapper upon reporting for duty with the Royal Engineers at the School of Military Engineering at Chatham. At Chatham he was given the basic course of instruction in military engineering for a Sapper. He remained at Chatham until the 23rd of September 1864. Following this period of training he was sent to New Zealand where his service record indicates that he took part in the actions at Wanganni, Nukumara, Waitotaria, and Ke Kamara. For his campaign service he was awarded the New Zealand Medal, although his service papers are not clear on the version of the medal he was authorized. His Military History Sheet shows the entry 1864 - 6, but as this entry is lined through, it is not clear whether this was the version authorized. It is believed that he was authorized the 1865-1866 version of the medal. If this is the case, then he was one of only 14 Royal Engineers to receive this version of the medal.
In June of 1866 Sapper Chatfield sailed from New Zealand aboard HMS Trevelyan and upon his arrival in England on the 27th of October 1866, he was again posted to Chatham. He remained at Chatham until the 9th of July 1867 when he was transferred to Aldershot. He transferred back to Chatham in April of 1868 and was again back at Aldershot by the 5th of October 1868.
In 1872 2nd Corporal Chatfield attended a course of instruction at the Drawing & Architectural School, presumably at the School of Military Engineering at Chatham. On the 29th of September 1874 he re-engaged at Westminster to complete 21 years of service. He was examined on that date and found to be fit for further military service. On the 3rd of October 1874 Chatfield, by then a Sergeant, acknowledged receipt of one Pound from Captain G. Harris, R.E. as the bounty due him for his re-engagement. At this time Chatfield was serving on the Supernumerary Staff of the Home District commanded by Captain Harris.
On the 3rd of December 1874 he was posted for duty in Bedford where he served until the 3rd of May 1877. Early in 1877 Chatfield successfully passed a course of instruction at the Photography School prior to depart Bedford for Gibraltar on the 3rd of May of that same year.
Chatfield was promoted to Quartermaster Sergeant while in Gibraltar. He served there until the 19th of July 1882 when he returned home and was posted to Tralee, a seaport town in County Kerry in the southwest of Ireland. He was accompanied to Ireland by his wife and daughter. On the 14th of September 1883 he was granted permission to extend his service beyond 21 years. He remained at Tralee until the 13th of December 1886, when he was again posted to Chatham.
Chatfield served the remaining years of his military career at Chatham until he was discharged from the Army on the 24th of June 1891 in consequence of requesting discharge after giving his commanding officer three months notice of his desire to leave the Army. His discharge was approved by the Commander Royal Engineers for the Thames District.
Medical History
Chatfield's Medical History indicates that he was treated for the following ailments on the dates and at the places shown:
Date and Place___________ Ailment___ Duration
I December 1862: Brompton Barracks Neuralgia 5 days
29 January 1869: Aldershot Tonsillitis 23 days
11 May 1872: Aldershot Revaccinated
18 October 1875: Bedford Work injury 7 days
16 October 1876: Bedford Tonsillitis 14 days
7 October 1878: Gibraltar Fever 18 days
19 December 1878: Gibraltar General debilitation 21 days
Chatfield's bout with tonsillitis in 1876 was originally thought by his doctor to be an ordinary case of the infection. However, this attack was complicated by a paralysis of his soft palate and then his limbs. His ailment was believed for a time to be diphtheria, but he made a full recovery following ordinary treatment for tonsillitis.
The fever and general debilitation for which he was treated in 1878 and 1879 were recorded as having been brought on by the climate in Gibraltar.
Promotions, Awards, and Education During his period of service, Chatfield received the following promotions:
Date_____ Rank____.
1 June 1867 To 2nd Corporal 1 February 1872 To Corporal
16 February 1873 To Sergeant and 3rd Class Military Foreman of Works
8 November 1877 To
Quartermaster Sergeant and 2nd Class Foreman of Works
1 July 1881 To Foreman of Works
Chatfield was given the following awards during his period of service:
Date Award
15 October 1865 Good Conduct Pay at 1 .d.
2 June 1870 Good Conduct Pay at 2.d.
15 October 1874 Good Conduct Pay at 3.d.
15 October 1878 Eligible for Good Conduct Pay at 4.d.
1880 Long
Service and Good Conduct Medal with gratuity of 5 Pounds
15 October 1883 Eligible for Good Conduct Pay at 5.d.
15 October 1888 Eligible for Good Conduct Pay at 6.d.
1 April 1904 Meritorious Service Medal with
gratuity of 10 Pounds
Sergeant Chatfield passed classes of instruction at the Drawing and Architectural School in 1872 with a rating of "very good." He also passed the course at the Photography School in 1877 with a rating of "very good." During his period of military service he earned a Second Class Certificate of Education.
Personal Data
Thomas James Chatfield married Anne Wiltshire (with leave) at Gillingham, Kent on the 8th of April 1872. He was a Corporal at the time of their marriage. He was placed on the married rolls this same day. Only four percent of Corporals and Sappers were granted permission to be married in the Royal Engineers at any one time. To receive such permission Corporals must have served at least seven years, have two good conduct badges, and prove that they had at least 5 Pounds in a savings bank. Since Chatfield met these qualifications he was allowed to marry "with leave"; that is, with the permission of his commanding officer. Under these circumstances he received uncooked rations separately, and if he was engaged on duty away from his family, he was paid 4,d. per day for his wife and 1-1/2.d. a day for each child. The Chatfields had one child, a daughter whom they named Fanny. Fanny was born on the 7th of July 1872, only three months after their marriage.
Discharge
Quartermaster Sergeant Chatfield's records show that he was discharged on the 24th of June 1891 with a total of 28 years and 253 days of service. His total service overseas was reckoned at 7 years 111 days.
REFERENCES:
1. W097/2489. Military Service Papers of Thomas James Chatfield. Public Record Office, London, including the following documents:
a. Enlistment
Paper (1862).
b. Attestation of the Recruit.
c. Medical History.
d. Record of Service.
e. Military History Sheet.
f. W.O. Form 678. Re-engagement Papers.
2. W0100-18. Medal Roll for the New Zealand Medal. Public Record Office, London.
3. The Spinks Medal Supplement, 1987. Spink & Son, Ltd., London.
4. GORDON, L.L. British Battles and Medals, 4th Revised Edition. Spink & Son Ltd., London,1971.
5. GRIERSON, J.M. Scarlet Into Khaki: The British Army on the Eve of the Boer War. Greenhill Books, London, 1988.
6. Taranaki and Egmont National Park Road Map. Automobile Association of New Zealand, scale 1"=3.8 miles.
7. Motorists Atlas of Great Britain. The Automobile Association, Basingstoke, Hampshire, 1984.
8. Hammond Medallion World Atlas. Hammond Incorporated, Maplewood, New Jersey, 1969.
9. Geographical Dictionary. Merriam-Webster, Incorporated, Springfield, Mass., 1997.
10. CHAMBERLAIN, H.E. Royal Engineers in New Zealand During the New Zealand Wars, 1845-1866. Privately printed in New Zealand, 1986.