PHOTO

My father's brother, John Richard Chapman, with the 20th Engineers, kept a diary after leaving Eugene, Oregon. He always told of grabbing in total darkness his coat off his bed as he headed to the lifeboat. Whether the diary was in a coat pocket, or he grabbed it separately, I do not know, but the diary got into the lifeboat with him. After his arrived in England, he purchased a small journal book-- blank pages except for the lines to write on. He copied over verbatim what he had written in the original diary that survived the sinking, and then kept up the 2nd diary until discharge. I now have the possession of both diaries. My uncle kept a very large ("full page") article from the Portland Oregonian newspaper once about a big reunion of the survivors, which was held in Portland. I have this long newspaper article that my uncle saved, as well. Also some picture postcards of the Tuscania, and photos taken of the 20th Engineers' work in France.

His story was about a lifeboat that was lowered into the water, the
rope on one end "hung up," keeping that end of the lifeboat from
entering the water.  And someone called out, "CUT THE ROPE!"
Other than telling of grabbing his coat in total darkness as he headed
up toward the lifeboats, that "Cut the Rope" story is all he ever said
orally about the sinking. 

Lertis Harold Chapman

Sept. 20, 2007

John Richard Chapman - Eugene, Lane Co., Oregon

Army Rank: Private (1918).

Assigned Unit: 6^th Bn., 20^th Engineers, Co. D (16^th Co.)

Army Serial Number:

Inducted:

Promoted:

Army Discharge: 1919

Remarks:  Overseas Jan. 24, 1918 – 1919

  Torpedoed on the Transport Tuscania Feb. 5, 1918

  Member of the Tuscania Survivors Association (1938)

  Address: Norden, Keya Paha Co., Nebraska

  Address: Irving, Lane Co., Oregon (1910)

  Address: Rural Route #1, Eugene, Oregon (1917)

  Address: 72 Grand St., Eugene, Oregon (1920)

  Address: 882 Chambers St., Eugene, Oregon (1930) (1938)

  Features: Tall, Medium Build, Blue Eyes, Brown Hair.

Wife’s Name: Rebecca Evelyn Bales 

(b. April 25, 1891 Oregon) (d. 1965 Eugene, Oregon)

Fathers Name: James R. Chapman

(b. April 21, 1861 Cornwall, England)

(d. Nov. 28, 1929 Eugene, Lane Co., Oregon)

Mothers Name: Eliza Jane Switzer

(b. Jan. 27, 1869 Chariton, Co., Missouri)

(d. Oct. 22, 1940 Eugene, Lane Co., Oregon)

Married: June 29, 1887 Norden, Keya Paha Co., Nebraska

Brothers: James, William, Paul, Earl, and Frank Chapman

Sisters: Margaret, Annie, and Bessie Chapman

Civilian Occupation: Farmer (1917) Driver for Lumber Co. (1920)

Plaster Sand Dealer (1930)

Born: Nov. 29, 1888 Norden, Keya Paha Co., Nebraska

Died: Sept. 1976 Eugene, Lane Co., Oregon (age 87)

Cemetery: Rest Haven Memorial Park, Eugene, OR

Plot: