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Stapleton was born in 1889 and lived in Marston Road Stafford.

He was educated at St Austin's Catholic School, Garden Street, Stafford.

After leaving school Stapleton joined the post office where he worked until 1910 when he joined the army, serving in the Warwickshire Yeomanary.

Stapleton fought in Egypt with the Warwickshire Yeomanary before transferring to the Royal Engineer's Signals, which was at the time in its infancy.

In 1916 Stapleton was sent to France and over the course of the next 3 years, he wrote in tiny notepads (see below) a set of 15 diaries about his adventures in the Great War. These extensive diaries contained over 150,000 words in total.

Stapleton posted every diary he wrote back to England using the French postal system.

As he was a Signalman he was not involved in the fighting but was just behind the front line.

His diaries area fascinating insight into another side of the Great War.

Through his poetic and vivid descriptions of the events around him he provides a unique and historical document of a mans life, loves and heartache over those three years.

The diaries include many amusing, fascinating and interesting adventures in France and on into post war occupied Germany.

Also included is a great deal of first hand knowledge acquired and documented whilst he worked in the signals offices at Querrieu, Amians and Arras.

Stapleton was married to Elinor and they had a son called Derek. He had two sisters called Gladys and Dorothy and a brother called Harry.

After the war Stapleton returned to Stafford and rejoined the post office.

He later moved to St Asaph, North Wales where he died in 1971.

If anybody has any information about Stapleton Tench Eachus, please contact me using the link below.

Stapleton

Cap Badge

Signals

The Basilica in 1916