Sydney Stranger Chaplin was born in 1897. His parents were the Reverend William Knight, a Baptist minister, and his wife, Mary James Chaplin. Sydney was the third of five children – four boys and one girl – born to the Reverend and his wife.
In 1911, the family were living at ‘Williston’, 1 Bushwood, Leytonstone. Sydney and his brothers were educated at Bancroft’s School in Woodford. During the war Sydney originally enlisted in the army with the Artists Rifles; a regiment solely for men of learning and higher social class, but later transferred to the 5th Battalion, Manchester Regiment. Sydney was sent to France and killed in action on 21st March 1918. His name appears on the Pozières Memorial.
Research by Redbridge Museum
Sources:
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Ancestry.com
For more information on this individual please see The Old Bancroftian website.