Frederick Claude Tapley

Rank:

Gunner

Regimental number:

42403

Unit at enlistment:

3rd Brigade C.F.A., 8th Battery

Force:

C.E.F.

Volunteered or conscripted:

Volunteered

Survived the war:

Yes

Birth country:

England

Birth county:

Greater London

Birth city:

London, St. Pancras

Address at enlistment:

Herbert Street, Brantford, Ontario

Next of kin address:

Herbert Street, Brantford, Ontario

Trade or calling:

Labourer

Religious denominations:

Church of England

Marital status:

Married

Age at enlistment:

Letters and documents

BX March 8, 1915

Gunner Frederick Claude Tapley, who left this city with the First Canadian Overseas force, and who received his discharge papers in January, returning to Brantford on February 6, wishes it understood that defective teeth and rheumatism are responsible for his temporary absence from the ranks, and that as soon as his teeth are properly attended to he will return to the ranks.

BX October 29, 1914

Worrying About Loved Ones

The Expositor is in receipt of the following letter from a member of Brantford’s first active service contingent. It evidently having been written on board ship and delayed in transmission.

To the Editor of the Expositor,

Sir, in regard to the 32nd Brantford Battery, which is now attached to the 3rd Brigade. We left Valcartier on Saturday night at 8.30 and marched to the Quebec fair grounds, arriving at 4 a.m., and I might say it was pouring rain for several hours while we were on the march. On arriving at Quebec we had to sleep in an old shed for about two hours. Everybody was wet through. We then had to feed and water the horses. We left the fair grounds and marched to the dock. Still it rained. We then loaded up, and everybody was glad to get a square meal and a wash. But we should not grumble, as the men on the transport wagons had it a lot worse than we did. They started off from Valcartier at 8 p.m. and did not arrive in Quebec until 10.30 next morning, and they were all wet through to the skin, but were very cheerful all the same. We are now on our way to Father Point, and there are about 10 big liners here loaded with troops, and another25 waiting at Father Point for us. There are several married men on this boat whose homes are just outside of Brantford and who are very worried because they don’t know whether their wives will be looked after the same as those men’s wives who live just inside of the city. I hope you will use your efforts in seeing that they do not want, but are treated the same as the rest of the Brantford volunteers’ wives.

Gunner F. Tapley

BX May 8, 1916

Frederick Tapley, 12 Years Old Killed by G.T.R. Freight Train – Attempted to Board a Moving Freight North of St. Paul’s Avenue, Missed the Ladders and Fell Under the Wheels, Being Badly Mangled – Father is at the Front

While endeavoring to board a westbound freight train, about four o’clock yesterday afternoon, a short distance west of the overhead bridge on the G.T.R. tracks, opposite the O.S.B., Frederick Tapley, a young lad aged eleven years and eleven months, was instantly killed, when he fell under the wheels, six cars and the caboose passing over his body.

Young Tapley, in company with two or three companions, was playing around the spot which has been the scene of many an accident of a similar nature, as many of the more venturesome lads of the city often go there on Sunday afternoons and when possible jump a freight and ride to Paris. Being a rather daring chap, in spite of the warnings of his companions, he attempted to do what he had seen scores of others do, but missing his hold, fell beneath the wheels, face downward, the train passing over his body bout the middle. It is said that several other boys had boarded the same train from the other side, but when the accident occurred, beat a hasty retreat.

The conductor, happening to be coming out of the caboose about that time, heard the cries of those who had witnessed the accident, and thinking something was wrong, immediately stopped the train, but the lad was beyond aid, death having been instantaneous. None of the officials of this train had seen the boy attempting the act.

Father at Front

Tapley lived with his mother and six brothers and sisters on Herbert Street, Grandview, all of whom were shocked to hear of Freddie’s untimely death. A sad feature of the occurrence is the fact that the father of the deceased boy is away at the battlefront, doing his “little bit.” The father, Corporal Frederick Tapley, left here with the third contingent of the Dufferin Rifles to the 58th Battalion, and to him and the sorrowing mother and family in their sad bereavement, the sympathy of the community is extended.

Coroner Dr. Hicks and the police were notified when the accident occurred, and the body was removed to Beckett’s Undertaking Parlors, where an inquest will be held.

BX May 16, 1916

Tapley Returning

Among the list of names of returned soldiers who arrived in Quebec today on the steamer Seandipaian appears the name of F. Tapley. It is presumed that this is Frederick Claude Tapley of Terrace Hill, father of the boy who was accidentally killed on the G.T.R. tracks recently, opposite the O.S.B.

BX May 18, 1916

Returning Soldiers

Private E. Edwards, invalided home from the front, will arrive in the city on Sunday and Pte. F. Tapley next Tuesday, according to information received by Ald. J.S. Dowling, chairman of the Soldiers’ Aid Commission, from the Military Hospital commission at Toronto.

BX May 25, 1916

Bandsman Tapley Returned

Another returned soldier arrived back in the city on Tuesday evening in the person of Bandsman Frederick Claude Tapley of Grandview. He was invalided home from England. He enlisted with the 32nd Battery on the outbreak of war and left in August, 1914. He was with the 4th Battalion. Tapley left a wife and six children when he enlisted. A regrettable feature of the home coming is the fact that one of his sons was killed by a train a couple of weeks ago. Tapley was met at the station by representatives of the Soldiers’ Aid Commission and taken to his home.

BX August 25, 1939

Frederick C. Tapley

The death occurred suddenly Thursday in Westminster Hospital, London, Ont., of Frederick C. Tapley, for the last nineteen years a resident of Woodstock. Mr. Tapley who was born in England in 1885, came to Canada thirty years ago. He enlisted in Brantford in August 1914, going overseas with a field battery. On Salisbury Plains he was thrown off a gun carriage, injuring his back, and was invalided home. On recovering he enlisted again and went overseas with the 58th Battalion. He is survived by his widow; three sons, Bruce, Ernest and John, all of Woodstock, and seven daughters, Mrs. Alex McDonald, Burgesville; Mrs. Albert Williams, Woodstock; Mrs. Norman Coleman, Toronto; Mrs. H. Ruddy, Woodstock; Mrs. George Radford, Woodstock, and Miss Daisy and Miss Mae, both at home.