Wilfrid Chapman

Early years

First World War

• Enlisted 7 June 1915
• Egypt & France
• Commissioned 29 September 1917
• France
• Discharged 31 July 1919

  Post war

• At the Collins Street Independent Church, Melbourne, on 13 December 1919 he married Marea Feori Anastasia Maniachi with Congregational forms.
• Re-employed by the railway construction branch
• University of Melbourne.
• made his name as a pioneer in the use of electric arc welding for structural purposes
• 1931 Chapman joined E.M.F. Electric Co. Pty Ltd as engineer in charge of research and development

  Second World War

• Called up for part-time duty on 1 January 1940
• lieutenant colonel, he commanded the 2nd/2nd Army Field Workshop which he took to Palestine
• colonel, chief ordnance mechanical engineer at A.I.F. Headquarters
• He made some important innovations in the design of mobile workshops and was mentioned in dispatches
• In January 1943 he was made chief superintendent of design. Promoted temporary brigadier in August
• In November 1945 he transferred to the Reserve of Officers as an honorary brigadier

  Post war

• 1946 joined the Commonwealth Department of Transport as director of civil engineering in the railway standardisation division
• From 1946 he had been vice-chairman of the Australian Standards Association
• 1949 Chapman was one of three distinguished engineers upon whom the University of Western Australia conferred a doctorate of engineering honoris causa – a distinction in which he took such pride that he thereafter styled himself Dr Chapman.

  Death

• 6 May 1955 at Mount St Evin's hospital, Fitzroy; survived by his wife and son, Wilfrid Alexander Maniarchi Chapman.