Private G/24331 Stephen Henry HOOK, RWKR

[Neil Clark]

Hello Chaps,

I'm currently working on this man who I found on a local civic war memorial -

Private G/24331 Stephen Henry HOOK. Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment). Date of Death Not known at present. Resided East House, Rodmersham, Sittingbourne, Kent. Son of Mr. S.H Hook of East House, Rodmersham, Sittingbourne, Kent.

Attested 12 December 1915 into the Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment). Placed on Army Reserve 13 December 1915. Finally mobilized 8 February 1916.

Hook is a strange one - In his service papers it tells us he was a Prisoner of War (POW) sometime in 1916. The next thing present is a "Certificate of Posting" where the War Office sends all his personal effects to his father in Sittingbourne, Kent -

Safety Razor

Blades

Shaving Soap

Box

In April 1919 another Army Form was sent to his father - Army Form Z.22 - Form of Receipt to Accompany Documents and Statement as to Disability.

No mention on the service papers of any death at all which is puzzling? I'm afraid his service papers are obvioulsy incomplete. Those that survive are very faded, the ink in some places is unreadable. I wonder if these included the details of his death whilst in German captivity?

His name appears on TONGE civic war memorial which would indicate he died as a POW.

His is brother was KIA during the war and is listed by CWGC but his name does not appear on any Kent war memorial. I suppose there is the possibility they got the wrong brother but I don't buy that YET.

I can't locate a civil death on the GRO for this man either. Any ideas greatly appreciated? If anyone wants to look at his service papers, I can upload them onto kentfallen for a PDF download, just ask...

Thanks a lot.

[HarryBettsMCDCM]

His MiC indicates he served O/S & was awarded the BWM & Victory Medals{which would be the case if serving O/S from 1916.

Some memorials commemorate ALL who served not always just those who died

[Messina1915]

Neil

There's an S. H. Rook of the Royal West Kents on the CWGC database, I don't know if you've seen this and ruled out a mispelling, he's probably not your man as he's buried in France (and has a different service number) but just in case here are his CWGC details:

Name:ROOK

Initials:S H

Nationality:United Kingdom

Rank:Private

Regiment/Service:Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment)

Unit Text:8th Bn.

Date of Death:04/10/1917

Service No:G/25480

Casualty Type:Commonwealth War Dead

Grave/Memorial Reference:II. C. 18.

Cemetery:TINCOURT NEW BRITISH CEMETERY

There's also a Stephen Henry Hook of the Yorkshire Regiment, died March 1918 and commemorated on the Pozieres Memorial - but I'm sure you've already seen his details and ruled him out.

[Neil Clark]

Carole,

Yes I have seen this entry. At the present time I don't think this is my man however I may need to look closer at this chap. I would be more inclined to go with this if the man's medal index card below didn't record the same regimental number as my chap. This tells me that there were two men - ROOK S.H and HOOK S.H (Although I admit it does seem quite a big coincidence). I am now in touch with a member of his family (they phoned me this evening). I hope to get more information tommorow. Thanks for taking the time to search the database. I should have made this fact known in my first post sorry!

Harry,

The Civic war memorial where his name came from only has casualties not merely serving men. As a matter of interest, out of over 400 civic war memorials in Kent that I (we) have transcribed, only 1 includes the local men who served and survived. Therefore on this basis I feel it's safe to say that in Kent this practice wasn't widespread at all. I know many others outside Kent that do include men who merely served. Perhaps this practice was fashionable in some other counties, who knows? Thanks for you interest anyway, it's very much appreciated.

Best Wishes

Neil

[Northern Soul]

The Civic war memorial where his name came from only has casualties not merely serving men. As a matter of interest, out of over 400 civic war memorials in Kent that I (we) have transcribed, only 1 includes the local men who served and survived. Therefore on this basis I feel it's safe to say that in Kent this practice wasn't widespread at all. I know many others outside Kent that do include men who merely served. Perhaps this practice was fashionable in some other counties, who knows?

From a national perspective, I would disagree Neil. I have come across many memorials which list men who served in addition to those who died. However - and it is a big caveat - these memorials always draw attention to the fact that the extra names are of those who served and they never combine the "served" with the "died"; they are always kept separate.

Best wishes.

Andy.

[apwright]

Hi Neil,

I've had a rummage in his papers at Ancestry, and - if you'll forgive me - I think you're possibly getting father and son mixed up.

Your man's birth name was Henry Stephen HOOK, born Q3 1892 in Faversham RD (Vol. 2a Page 872), but for whatever reason he enlisted as Stephen Henry.

His father was just plain Stephen.

1901 census:

Skinner's Cottage, Bethesda, West Ashford

HOOK Stephen, Head, 33, Gardener not domestic, born Tenterden, Kent [age is wrong here? Should be 35ish. Probably Stephen HOOK, born Tenterden Q2 1866]

HOOK Mary J, Wife, 30, born Hythe, Kent

HOOK Harry, Son, 9, born Bourgh Green, Tenham [i.e. Teynham], Kent [Henry Stephen, b Faversham Q3 1892]

HOOK William, Son, 7, born Bourgh Green, Tenham, Kent [Alfred William, b Faversham Q2 1894]

HOOK Nellie, Dau, 4, born Key St, Sittingbourne, Kent

The father Stephen HOOK married Mary Jane GAINES in Faversham, Q4 1891

(Note Pte HOOK's NoK details on his "Descriptive Report on Enlistment" (Ancestry 19464) list his mother as Mary Jane HOOK of Newberry Farm.)

I think Stephen Sr died in Tenterden in Q4 1907 aged 42, which is why he's not listed as NoK.

Pte HOOK's service, as far as I can make out:

12.12.15 Attested Pte GS/23287 in 17th Lancers (though attestation form also has A.S.C. crossed out!)

8.2.16 Mobilised

10.2.16 Joined EC Depot [?Eastern Cavalry]

12.2.16 Posted 8th Res Cav Regt

21.12.16 Transferred Pte 24331 1/RWK

9.4.17 Wounded in action

21.6.17 Posted Depot/RWK

8.9.17 Posted 3/RWK

25.10.17 Posted 6/RWK

30.11.17 Missing (on PoW List C1425 of 29.12.17)

8.12.18 Repatriated (still 6/RWKR) and posted Depot/RWK

15.2.19 Posted 3/RWK

17.4.19 Discharged to Class Z

Service summary:

Home 12.2.16-20.12.16

BEF 21.12.16-20.6.17

Home 21.6.17-24.10.17

BEF 25.10.17-7.12.18

Home 8.12.18-17.4.19

I think the personal property form (sent out 24/06/19) was signed by the man himself (H.S. Hook, reverting to his "real" name post-discharge), and not his father (who was probably dead).

Also the receipt for his BWM & VM, dated October 1921 (Ancestry page 19458), is signed H.S. Hook in the same handwriting. The same goes for his signature on his Protection Certificate (Ancestry page 19462).

So he almost certainly didn't die within the CWGC qualifying period. I've checked Home Deaths through to 1925 but found nothing obvious.

Maybe they did list the wrong brother ... (Alfred William, I presume?)

Adrian

[Neil Clark]

Adrian,

I believe you are RIGHT and I'm WRONG! Well done and thanks. Proof that more than one set of eyes is always better than one. I'm always happy to admit I make mistakes and errors unlike many odd people I sometimes come across who prefer to believe in a myth rather than admit a mistake has been made!

I'm very impressed with your tracing skills. I wonder if you would care to review a few more cases of mine on an on-going basis? As you may be aware I have been undertaking this work since 2001 (alongside my peer John Morecombe) and often trace new potential non-coms during new war memorial transcriptions (Dave Hughes take a bow). I'm working on 20 or so cases at the moment (just submited 9 men on my batch 3). See my site.

Thanking you kindly.

Neil

[Jonathan Saunders]

21.12.16 Transferred Pte 24331 1/RWK

9.4.17 Wounded in action

This date refers to Hook being wounded at Vimy. 1st Bn were part of 13 Bge, who were attached to the 2nd Canadian Division for the 9 April offensive.

Upon recovery he is posted to 6 Bn in preparation for Cambrai offensive - 6 Bn secure Lateau Wood and then dig-in to protect its perimieter during following days. Germans counter-attack on 30 Nov and Hook is taken POW in the defence of Lateau Wood, or in the fighting rear guard when falling back from it.

Regards,

Jonathan S