Orders, Decorations and Medals

Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officers’ Decoration, G.V.R., reverse engraved, ‘Major Thomas Howard Chapman, Ceylon Engineer Volunteers’, lacking top bar, good very fine £100-140

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Long Service Medals from the Collection formed by John Tamplin.

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Thomas Howard Chapman was born in Bath, on 6 August 1886. After being educated at Cheverley School, Plymouth, he became a Civil Engineer. In 1888 he went to work in Ceylon and was to remain there for over 30 years. He was the District Engineer in the Ceylon Public Works Department, based at Katagastita, Badulla, Galle, Dimbulla, Koslande and Kandy, 1888-1906. In 1906 he was Acting Financial Assistant to the Director of Public Works at Colombo; in 1907 he was Acting Assistant Director of Public Works in Ceylon, becoming Director of Public Works in 1913. As such he was nominated an Official Member of the Legislative Council. Chapman was a Member of the Colombo Improvement Commission; Chairman of the Consultative Committee on Roads; Chairman of the Industries Commission, 1919-20. In 1921 he was on a Deputation to Canada in connection with hydro-electric schemes in Ceylon. Chapman retired as Director of Public Works in August 1923.

Serving in the Volunteers, he was appointed a Captain in the Ceylon Engineer Volunteers on 23 February 1911, a Major on 27 January 1913, Honorary Lieutenant-Colonel on 24 July 1917 and Lieutenant-Colonel on 4 July 1919. He was mobilised for service in 1914 but did not serve overseas. He was Acting Commandant of the Ceylon Defence Force, January-July 1920. For his long and valuable services he was awarded the Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officers’ Decoration (Ceylon Government Gazette 18 May 1917) and the O.B.E. (Military) (London Gazette 3 June 1919). Sold with copied research.