Other Information:George was educated at Waitaki Boys' High School and at Otago University Medical School before going to the London Hospital to study medicine. He passed M.R.C.S., L.R.C.P. (Lond.), there in 1907, then went to Caius College, Cambridge and remained there until 1910 - studying medicine and gaining the M.B. (Cambs.) and graduating in Arts. Whilst studying he also gained a Blue in Rugby football in 1907 and half Blue for boxing at Cambridge. He then returned to the London Hospital and went through the appointments held by the Junior Staff.
When war broke out George was House Physician, and was also appointed House Surgeon. He gained a commission in the R.A.M.C., Special Reserve, on 10th September 1914, at the rank of Lieutenant. On 7th December 1914, he was serving in No 11 General Hospital at Boulogne, when a small vessel was wrecked in a gale and everyone but the skipper got away from her. Two British soldiers attempted to rescue the skipper but were not successful, and they themselves became casualties. George then swam out and gripped the skipper as he was drowning, and both were dragged ashore. George was decorated with the Gold Medal "Pour Courage et Devouement" by the French Government, and was commended in a British Routine Order. The two soldiers relieved silver medals. In February 1915, George was sent to the Front lines and became attached to the 2nd Bn. Dragoon Guards.
He was killed at the Second Battle of Ypres, when his regiment was holding the trenches on the Zonnebeke Road. The Major of Bays wrote: "We were in the trenches under a very severe shell fire. Your son was most gallantly attending to the wounded when a shell killed him instantly, as well as two men who were standing by him. We took his body back and buried him in the grounds of a chateau just east of Potijge cross roads, a small village east of Ypres. I cannot tell you what a loss he is to this regiment; he had only been with us two months, but was most popular with officers and men. Please accept the sympathy of the entire regiment with your great loss, and you have the great consolation that he died doing his duty very gallantly as a soldier should." The Colonel of the 1st Cavalry Division wrote: "I, in common with all who knew your son, would like to express our sincere condolence to this family. His gallant conduct throughout the engagement won him the admiration of officers and men alike; he died a noble death attending wounded in the trenches under a murderous fire. His death deprives me of one of the best officers that ever served under me, and I again tender you my deepest sympathy in your great bereavement." George was the second son of the Hon. Frederick Revans Chapman, Judge of the Supreme Court of New Zealand, and Clara Jane Chapman.
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