Peterborough & The Great War

Biography

Colin Chadwick was born in Sheffield in July 1896 to parents John and Mary, his father was a coach wheeler, his older brother (also John) was a coach painter.  Colin had started his working life as a junior clerk by the age of 14.

He enlisted with the Royal Army Medical Corps in March 1915 and was posted to the 3^rd West Riding Field Ambulance that was raised in Sheffield.  His service record has not been found but we know that he passed through Peterborough at least twice as he signed the visitors’ book on 9 July 1916, and on 27 July 1916, when he was based at Flixton Park, near Bungay, Suffolk. (The visitors’ book can be searched by date).

He wrote in the visitors’ book on 9 July:

“A soldier finds so little rest,
so my sincerest thanks are due
to the good ladies at the soldiers rest.
when passing through Peterb’ro”

And on his second visit on 27 July, he wrote:

“It was a sultry summer night
I was waiting for a train
and as a soldier likes old friends
so I called here again.
with thanks to the staff.”

Colin was discharged in February 1919, and returned to Sheffield.  He was awarded the British War and Allied Victory Medals.

He married Doris Colgan in Sheffield in 1920 and their son Ralph was born in 1922.  In 1939, Colin and his family are living at 278 West Park Drive, Leeds and Colin’s occupation was listed as an assistant superintendent assurance.  Colin died in Claro, North Yorkshire in 1978, aged 83.

Please get in touch if you can tell us more about Colin and his family.