B77526 Chapman, Arthur James enlisted with the 48th Highlanders in Toronto on 26 October 1942, with concurrent transfer to the First Special Service Force. The FSSF, known later as the “Devil’s Brigade” had been formed on 20 July 1942.  He trained and served with the FSSF, a Brigade of 1800 soldiers in 3 Battalions for the entire period of their existence. Service included the Aleutian Islands, North Africa and Italy. A good summary of their service and battle is on Wikipedia at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Special_Service_Force

The FSSF was disbanded on 5 December 1944 while on the south-east coast of the Mediterranean in France. At that time the 48th Highlanders were in northern Italy preparing to move, as part of the 1st Canadian Division, from Italy to cross France with their task the final liberation of The Netherlands. The 48th Highlanders left Leghorn Italy on 12 March 1945, landing in Marseille on 13 March then travelled to the Reichswald Forest in Germany. Our records don’t show the date on which he joined up with the 48th Highlanders. It may have been when they arrived in Marseille. For the period from 7 December 1944 until our records show him with the 48th Highlanders he would have been on the x-4 list (Highlanders available for reinforcement) and with some element of the Cdn Army, waiting.

He was with the 48th Highlanders on 24 March in Germany and was sent that day on a stretcher bearers course at 4 Cdn Lt. Field Ambulance RCAMC. He returned to the battalion on 3 April. Pte Chapman participated in the liberation of Apeldoorn in the Netherlands. This was Operation Cannonshot which began with the crossing of the Ijssel River on 12 April and the advance to Twello. Then on the 15th they advanced to the canal on the outskirts of Apeldoorn and entered the town on the 17th.  Two days later, the battalion sent a heavily armoured Flying Column, under command of Able Company, 90 km to Harderwijk on the Zuider Zee. On 25 April, the battalion and the 1st Division went out of battle as part of a truce with the Colonel-General Blaskowitz who said he would allow food to pass through to the starving Dutch if the Canadians would accept a truce, otherwise he would flood the country.

Chapman was given 9 days leave to the UK from 8 May to 22 May, while the battalion was at The Hague. He departed NWE with the battalion on 4 September, landing in the UK on 5 September as the battalion began its journey back to Canada.  He was discharged in Toronto on 23 November  and it is most likely that he returned with the battalion and participated in the homecoming parade on 1 October in downtown Toronto. His records give his Next of Kin at that time as:

NOK Mrs. A. G. Chapman, 28 Joseph Street, Brantford, Ontario.