A memorial service was held at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst for Field Marshal Sir John Chapple on the 11th of March 2023.
The service was led by The Right Reverend and Right Honourable the Lord Chartres GCVO PC FAS – Honuary Chaplain to the Brigade of Gurkhas.
Educated at Haileybury and Trinity College Cambridge, John Chapple was commissioned into The 2nd King Edward VII’s Own Gurkha Rifles in 1954.
He commanded the First Battalion of his Regiment in the early 70’s and went on to fulfil a number of important command and staff appointments including Commander British Forces Hong Kong coupled with that of Major General Brigade of Gurkhas, Director of Military Operations at the Ministry of Defence and Commander-in-Chief United Kingdom Land Forces.
Early in his military career he saw action during the Malayan Emergency and again during the Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation and later in his career he provided advice to the British Government during the Gulf War.
His last appointment was as Chief of the General Staff from 10th September 1988. He served in this post, in which he provided military advice to the British Government on the conduct of the Gulf War, until he retired with promotion to field marshal on 13th February 1992.
The Field Marshal was a committed regimental officer and a strong supporter of the Gurkha soldier, his welfare and heritage and his homeland of Nepal. He was Colonel of his Regiment 1986-1994. The Field Marshal is survived by his wife, Annabel and their four children, David, Rachel, Kate and Sasha.
The King was represented by General Sir Roger Wheeler at a memorial service for the life and work of Field Marshal Sir John Chapple held on Saturday, 11th March, at The Royal Memorial Chapel, The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.
The Princess Royal was represented by Lieutenant General Sir Edward Smyth-Osborne.
The Duke of Gloucester was represented by Mr Andrew Sparkes
The Duke of Kent was represented by Colonel James Leask
The People’s Democratic Republic of Nepal was represented by HE Mr Gyan Chandra Acharya.
Gibraltar was represented by Mr Dominique Searle
The Service was conducted by The Rt Rev and Rt Hon the Lord Chartres, Hon Chaplain Brigade of Gurkhas, assisted by The Rev David Barrett, Dep Chaplain General, HM Land Forces and The Rev Mgr Robert Corrigan, Academy Chaplain.
Field Marshal Chapple’s insignia, decorations and medals were carried to the Quire by the King’s Gurkha Orderly Officers and Officers of The Royal Gurkha Rifles and placed on the Alter by the Academy Chaplain.
Lt Gen Sir David Bill, Pres Gurkha Brigade Association and representing the Order read the Collect of the Order of the Bath; Maj Gen Gerald Strickland, Col The Royal Gurkha Rifles read The Gurkha Collect and Mr Martin Collier, The Master, Haileybury, read the lesson. The Haileybury Chamber Choir sang a Psalm and Anthem.
Mr David Chapple paid Tribute and an Address was given by Lt Gen Sir Peter Duffell.
Clergy
The Right Reverend and Right Honourable The Lord Chartres – GCVO PC FSA -Honorary Chaplain to The Brigade of Gurkhas
The Reverend DJ Barrett QHC CF – Deputy Chaplain General to His Majesty’s Land Forces
The Reverend Monsignor Canon Robert Corrigan STB MTh – Academy Chaplain – The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
Musicians
Mr Simon Dinsdale, BA, MA, FLCM, LTCL, LLCM, SFFLM, FMCM, – HonFNCM, FGMS, FISM – Acting Organist and Director of Music, The Royal Memorial Chapel
The Haileybury Chamber Choir – Mr Hugh Rowlands BA, FRCO – Conductor, The Haileybury Chamber Choir
Mr Simon Bland MA (Cantab) – Haileybury Organist
The Band and Bugles of The Rifles – WO2 Alexandra Nixon BMus FRSM LRSM – Bandmaster
Ushers
The Ushers are former Officers of the 2nd King Edward VII’s Own Goorkhas (The Sirmoor Rifles) and Officers of the Brigade of Gurkhas.
Among others present were:
Lady Chapple(widow), Mr and Dr David Chapple (Son and daughter-in-law), Mr and Mrs Indrajit Bardhan, Mr and Mrs Jonny Holt, Mr and Mrs Jan Peckinpah (sons-in-law and daughters) and many other members of the family.
Lord and Lady Bilimoria (The Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Trust), Lord Newall, Gen Lord Richards and Lady Richards, Field Marshal Lord Walker and Lady Walker.
The Hon Anna Chamchan, Rt Hon Nicholas Hurd, Col Sir William Mahon, the Hon George Monck, Rt Hon Sir John Nott, the Hon William Stonor (UK Trust for Nature Conservation in Nepal).
Lady Bill, Gen Sir Peter and Lady de la Billiere, Gen Sir Adrian Bradshaw (Governor Royal Hospital Chelsea), Gen Sir Mark Carleton-Smith, Maj Gen Sir Michael and Lady Carleton-Smith, Lady Cooper, General Sir Sam and Lady Cowan, Sir Michael and Lady Craig-Cooper, Sir Robert Crawford, Dame Sally Davies (Master of Trinity), Lady Duffell, Sir Mark Havelock-Allan (British Association for Cemeteries in South Asia), Lt Gen Sir Robert Hayman-Joyce, Vice-Admiral Sir Adrian Johns (Friends of Gibralter), Lady Jones, Lady Keegan, Gen Sir Jeremy and Lady Mackenzie, Col Sir Clive Martin, Lt Gen Sir Simon Mayall, Sir David and Lady Newbigging, Sir Kenneth and Lady Olisa (Reserve Forces and Cadets Association for Greater London), Gen Sir Robert and Lady Pascoe, Lady Pigott, Lt Gen Sir Nick and Lady Pope, Lt Gen Sir Bill and Lady Rollo (Commonwealth War Graves Commission), Lt Gen Sir Philip and Lady Trousdell, Gen Sir Peter and Lady Wall, Gen Sir John and Lady Waters, Maj Gen Sir Evelyn and Lady Webb-Carter, Lady Wheeler, Lady Wilkes, Lady Wilsey.
Mr and Mrs Chris Ainscough, Maj and Mrs Krishna Ale, Brig and Mrs John Anderson, Mr Jeremy Archer, Maj Jon Aslett, Maj Tom Attwood, Brig and Mrs Robert Baddeley, Dr Catherine Barnard (World Land Trust), Ms Karen Bearman (World Wildlife Fund for Nature Hong Kong)
Brig Vernon Beauchamp, Mrs Sandy Bentley, Brig and Mrs Tony Berry, Col James Birch, Mr and Mrs James Birch (The Pitt Club),Lt Col Jerry Birch, Captain and Mrs Nigel Blackwell, Mr Peter Bowring, Dr Daren Bowyer (The Gurkha Museum), Mr Callum Boyd, Mr and Mrs Johnny Boyer, Lt Col Giles Brand (St Mary’s Ascot Appeal), Brig and Mrs Michael Bray, Brig John Brewer, Maj and Mrs S Briggs (HAC), Mr Martin Brooks (The Gurkha Museum), Ms Celia Brown, Ms Sarah Brunwin, Mrs Janet Budd, Brig and Mrs Christopher Bullock, Brig Ed Butler.
Mr Ben Cameron, Mrs Elizabeth Campbell, Miss Georgina Carey, Ms Henrietta Carey, Mr and Mrs Alex Chadwick, Mrs Bryan Chapple, Brig and Mrs John Clark, Mr and Mrs James Cochrane-Dyet, Mr and Mrs Alister Cole (Coral Cay Conservation), Mr Timothy Cooke, Mr Michael Copleston (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds), Maj Gen Patrick Cordingley, Mr Rupert Corfield, Maj and Mrs Gordon Corrigan, Mr and Mrs Mathew Cosans, Mrs Patrick Covernton, Mr David Cowley (Not Forgotten Association), Miss Jackie Craig, Brig and Mrs Sean Crane, Ms Zoe Creasy.
Brig Andrew Griffiths OBE, Col Jody Davies, Capt Nicola Dawtrey, Mrs Anuradha De, Mrs Purabi De, Miss Rishmita De, Dr Sabuj De, Mr Sudeep De, Miss Tanusha De, Maj Gen Alastair Dennis, Mr Peter Denton, Maj Tony Dicker, Lt Col Roger Dickey (Army Ornithological Society), Mr John Dible, Mr Bernard Donoghue (WWF for Nature), Wg Cdr Mike Dudgeon, Maj Gen and Mrs Bryan Dutton, Brig and Mrs John Edwards, Brig Clive Elderton (The Military Historical Society), Mrs Jennifer Evans, Mrs Kinny Evans, Mrs Jane Everard, Mr Khamani Eze. Mr and Mrs Andrew Fairfoul, Ms Sue Farrington, Maj Richard Firth, Col Clive Fletcher-Wood, Maj Gen and Mrs John Freidberger, Mr and Mrs Martin Frewer, Mr and Mrs Frank Froud (The Army and Navy Club).
Mr Timothy George, Captain Debbahadur Ghale, Col Lucy Giles, Col Ratnabahadur Godhar, Dr and Mrs Goodison-Wickes, Mr Jeremy Goodman, Ms Elizabeth Graham (The Haileybury Society), Mr Robin Graham, Mrs Didy Grahame, Captain Patrick Grant, Mr and Mrs Jeremy Greenwood, Maj Gen and Mrs Robin Grist, Brig Andrew Griffiths, Capt RN Robert Guy (The Royal Navy Polo Association), Mrs Rosemary Guy (The Hong Kong Society), Mrs Deokumari Gurung, Maj Dilip Gurung, Mrs Dilmaya Gurung, Mrs Durgadevi Gurung, Captain Jiwankumar Gurung, Mrs Keshari Gurung, Captain Krishnabahadur Gurung, Lt Kusang Gurung, Maj Lalbahadur Gurung, Capt Lokbahadur Gurung, Maj Narkaji Gurung, Captain Raju Gurung, Mrs Renu Gurung, Capt Shamsher Gurung, Captain Yeknarain Gurung.
Mr David Harding, Mr Andrew Harrison, Maj John Harrop, Mr and Mrs Cameron Hatrick, Ms Valerie Haye, Col and Mrs David Hayes, Brig and Mrs Nigel Haynes, Mr Stephen Henwood, Mr Charles Hickey, Mrs Georgina Hickey, Col and Mrs Nick Hinton, Mr and Mrs Charles Holt, Dr Victoria Holt, Mr and Mrs Peter Hunter, Mr and Mrs Kit Hunter Gordon, Brig and Mrs Bruce Jackman, Mr and Mrs Jamie Jameson, Maj John Jonklaas, Prince Ravi Kandamath, Ms Rose Keegan, Lt Col David Kemmis Betty, Col AW King-Harman, Ms Zuleika Kingdon, Mrs Keith Laurence, Mr Timothy Laurence, Maj Gen Craig Lawrence, Christine Lees, Mr Martin Lee-Warner, Mrs Penny Little, Mr Andrew Lloyd (Army Museums Ogilby Trust), Major Simon Lord, Miss Jane Loveless.
Capt Edward Macaness, Brig Justin Maciejewski (Director National Army Museum), Mr James McCarthy, Col and Mrs Christopher MacKenzie-Beevor (The Cavalry and Guards Club), Mr Arshad Mahmood, Ms Victoria McDougall, Brig Allan Mallinson, Maj and Mrs Charles Marment, Mr Tom Martin, Lt Col Anthony Mather, Mr and Mrs Clovis Meath-Baker, Capt Julian Mellor, Mr and Mrs David Milnes, Mr Chetan Modi, Mr and Mrs James Money Kyrle Brig and Mrs David Morgan, Mrs Caroline Murphy, Mrs Lucy Newmark, Mr Priya Nithianandan (The Linnean Society of London), Mr Michael Oakley, Lt Col Brian O’Bree, Mr Mike O’Connor (The National Army Museum).
Maj Gen and Mrs Simon Pack, Mrs Britha Parekh, Dr Toby Parker, Col and Mrs Ken Peacock, Mr and Mrs David Peck, Maj Gen and Mrs Richard Peck, Maj Gen and Mrs Ray Pett, Capt Mark Pettigrew, Col and Mrs Paul Pettigrew, Mr and Mrs Ben Peyton (Reserve Forces and Cadets Association for Greater London), Mr Albert Poggio, Mr and Mrs Roger Potter, Brig John Powell, Brig John Pownall, Mr Bill Prall, Maj Bishnu Pun (Gurkha Welfare Trust).
Maj Govinda Rai, Maj Mani Rai, Maj Sandjip Rai, Capt and Mrs Lalbahadur Rana, Mr and Mrs Siddharta Rana, Ms Camilla Redfern, Brig and Mrs Patrick Reehal, Dr Iain Reid (Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge), Col Dan Rex, Brig Ian Rigden, Col David Robinson, Lt Col and Mrs Keith Robinson, Mr Valentine Robb, Mr and Mrs Stuart Roden, Mr and Mrs Michael Roller, Col Martin Romilly, Ms Susan Roynon, Major C Russell, Mrs Judy Russell,
Mr Martin Russell, Mr Milo Skene Russell.
Mrs Sally Sadler, Brig and Mrs David Santa-Olalla, Col and Mrs David Scotson, Dr Anil Seal (Trinity College, Cambridge), Mrs Sahodra Searle, Mrs Paddy Seligman, Dr Gasutem Sen, Mrs Amita Pandey Sen, Maj Basantadhoj Shahi, Col and Mrs Peter Sharland, Mr and Mrs Michael Shaw, Mr and Mrs David Shreeve (The Conservation Foundation), Col and Mrs William Shuttlewood, Maj William Shuttleworth, Mr Oliver Smith, Mr and Mrs Nick Spencer, Mr Adrian Steger (Royal Society for Asian Affairs), Col and Mrs Jack Stenhouse, Maj Gen Zac Stenning (Comdt Royal Military Academy Sandhurst), Col Piers Storie-Pugh, Mrs M J Streather (The Britain-Nepal Society), Mrs Gerald Strickland, Col Jim Stuart, Professor Deborah Swallow, Col John Swanston.
Major Baldeep Tamang, Maj Chin Thapa, Major and Mrs David Thomas,
Mr and Mrs Tottle, Mr and Mrs Jonathan Townsend, Major William Tower (ABF The Soldiers Charity), Maj Gen and Mrs Tim Toyne Sewell, Maj Gen and Mrs Ashley Truluck, Lt Col and Mrs Adrew Tuggey, Lt Col and Mrs Richard Venning, Miss Marcia Vivian, Maj Gen Charles Vyvyan, Mr John Walker (The Kipling Society), Brig Rodney Walker, Maj Charles Ward, Lt Gen Richard Wardlaw (Col Comdt The Brigade of Gurkhas), Dr and Mrs Neil Weir (The Britain Nepal Otology Service), Mr and Mrs Lau Wensink (UK Overseas Territories Conservation Forum), Mr Jonathan Wilkes, Mrs Emma Willis, Mr Michael Willis, Mr and Mrs Simon Willis, Col and Mrs Roger Willsher, Cdr Alastair Wilson, Mr Jamie Wilson, Ms Honor Wilson-Fletcher (British Exploring Society), Dr and Mrs Nigel Winser, Mrs Elizabeth Woodcock (The Cairn Trust), Col David Woodd (Hurlingham Polo Association), Mr James Wren (Zoological Society of London), Maj and Mrs Nigel Wylie Carrick, together with many other friends and regimental comrades.
Photography by Mr Mick Latter
