CHAPPELL, Aubrey - award recommendation

42RM Commando, November 1944
Mne Chappell was a member of a small patrol of 42 Cdo landed on the Jap occupied Elizabeth Island in the Bay of Bengal with the object of gaining information about a missing Naval officer and also capturing a prisoner.
They landed at 2200 hrs on 4th Nov and were to be taken off 5½ hours later. On landing the patrol penetrated to the enemy headquarters in the village of Ondaw approximately four miles away. They were detected and a short engagement ensued during which at least three of the enemy became casualties without loss to the patrol.
During the withdrawal Mne Chappell as Bren Gunner was covering the rear, and by mischance became detached. On attempting to rejoin he was ambushed and realising that he was now cut off from the rendezvous he evaded capture by lying up in the jungle. In spite of his narrow escape Mne Chappell had clung to his Bren gun, and his morale being undiminished, he decided to make best use of the day he must now spend on the island. With this in view he made his way to a commanding position from which he quickly realised that the information given the patrol relative to enemy strength on the island was quite incorrect. Mne Chappell counted 43 Japanese in one party and estimated the total strength at over 100. He also located a headquarters and a number of occupied positions.
That night he signalled from the rendezvous without result and from then on he endured five days of unremitting strain. The enemy had been disturbed and was now suspicious and alert. Continually Mne Chappell changed his position, often avoiding discovery by a hair breadth, wet through, hungry and alone.
Once whilst snatching a quick sleep he was disturbed by a nearby Japanese patrol obviously searching for him. He opened fire with his Bren gun immediately and used his two grenades at short range but was wounded by a retaliatory Jap grenade, this made him decide to break off the engagement. On doing so he was shot in the left calf at 15 yards range by a Jap whom he promptly killed with his Colt automatic. He then managed to get away successfully.
On taking stock he found that he had but seven rounds left for his Bren and two magazines for the pistol. He had been wounded three times in the left leg (twice by grenade fragments) and once in the side. These wounds he treated with his field dressing. It had been raining almost incessantly and in spite of all efforts the Bren gun was now very rusty. However his freedom from capture in this period was probably due to the terrible weather conditions, one patrol passing within a couple of feet of him in the pouring rain.
On the fifth night he made his way between two previously noted listening posts and stole a small sampan. This proved to be leaky. After almost 24 hours using an improvised paddle he sighted land and was promptly wrecked on some rocks, losing his weapons and boots. He managed to swim to shore and was by then utterly exhausted. In the morning he discovered that he was on another island.
During the next three days he grew much weaker, became delirious and suffered from hallucination and by the tenth day his need for food was so great that he abandoned his former caution and finding a Burmese homestead he appealed for help. He was promptly betrayed by the Headsman and led into an ambush of six Japanese soldiers.
During ten day of ever present danger without food and under appalling weather conditions Mne Chappell had shown daring, initiative and resource to the highest degree, retaining his weapons and his offensive spirit to the last whilst his devotion to duty and determination were in the highest tradition of the Service.
 
Source: Award Recommendations WO373/101/243.
 
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