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Remembered Today:

Alfred Hopkins - Company Sergt-major WW1


Denise Hopkins

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8 minutes ago, Denise Hopkins said:

Hi I'm ICT illiterate. My sister is going to get her husband to post the photos later today. I have them sent to me by email on my phone. Not sure if we are supposed to give personal email addresses. if it is ok I don't mind.

Denise

 

Denise - you have a forum Personal Message from me about this. 

 

As Michelle as warned, don't give out your e-mail address on the open forum!

 

Mark

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4692 Alfred Hopkins was a pre-War regular who enlisted in either 1902 or 1903.  'Our' Alfred Hopkins would have been between 9 and 11 years old.

 

4692 Alfred Hopkins went out to France with 1/KRRC on 13 Aug 1914 and he was already a Serjeant at this point.  'Our' Hopkins did not enlist until summer 1915.

 

4692 Company Serjeant-Major Alfred Hopkins, 1/KRRC, was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal effective 01 Jan 1916.  In Hopkins case this would be for sustained distinguished gallantry in the field in the period leading up to 01 Jan 1916 while a still a CSM.  The DCM was gazetted on 14 Jan 1916 and the citation on 11 Mar 1916.

 

4692 CSM Alfred Hopkins, 1/KRRC, was commissioned in the field effective 27 Dec 1915.  This was gazetted on 08 Feb 1916.  At this point as an officer he would have lost his 4692 service number. 'Our' Hopkins was a Serjeant when he got married in Sep 1918.

 

2/Lt Alfred Hopkins, DCM, (formerly 4692) was appointed temporary Lieutenant whilst employed as a Quartermaster effective 17 Mar 1917.  This was gazetted on 15 Nov 1917.  'Our' Hopkins was a Serjeant when he got married in Sep 1918.

 

2/Lt Alfred Hopkins (formerly 4692) was appointed Acting Captain on Lt's pay whilst employed as Adjutant of a School of Instruction effective 25 Aug 1917.  This was also gazetted on 15 Nov 1917.  This is possibly relating to machine gun instruction at Hythe, but I am still investigating this.  'Our' Hopkins was a Serjeant when he got married in Sep 1918.

 

2/Lt and a/Capt Alfred Hopkins (formerly 4692) was promoted to Lieutenant effective 01 Jul 1917.  This was gazetted on 29 Jan 1918.  'Our' Hopkins was a Serjeant when he got married in Sep 1918.

 

'Our' Hopkins has his promotion to Company Serjeant-Major reported in the newspaper in Jan 1919.

 

 

**********************************************************************************************************************************************

More to add, but have to halt temporarily as I'm being taken out for a pub lunch treat for my birthday :D

 

I'll continue later by adding via the Edit button.

 

Mark

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Can someone with access to the Weekly Casualty Lists check this one please?

 

WEEKLY CASUALTY LIST, JULY 9th, i9»S
... (Nelsoa); Platt 55967 A (Ramsbettom). KINO’S ROYAL RIFLE CORPS.—Baldwin W. U. (Rend ing): Brooks Cpl. O. (Wandsworth, S.W.) ; Hopkins 9046 Sjl. V. (Ripley); Bean 11067 Cpl. J. (Chelsea, &.W.) Riche 9913 L.-Cpl, F. (Caine); Wiggins 44177 L.-CpL S. W. R. (Earn ...

 

Published: Tuesday 09 July 1918 
Newspaper: Weekly Casualty List (War Office & Air Ministry ) 
County: London, England 
Type: Article | Words: 2964 | Page: 20, 21 | Tags: none

 

 

Bold emphasis is mine.

 

He is listed as Victor Hopkins in the medal cards (as C/9048) and rolls but the location, rank and date of wounding agree.

 

 

Steve.

 

Edited by Stebie9173
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There's a C/9048 Serjeant Victor HOPKINS on the TNA MIC index.  I haven't checked the actual MIC yet for a mistranscription and have my lift to the pub revving its engine outside and SWMBO looking daggers at me, so will have to stop :w00t:

 

C/6235 Hopkins was in 18/KRRC, which is a good fit for the BAOR, but the MIC is proving elusive, so he may not have gone overseas before the Armistice.

Just now, MBrockway said:

There's a C/9048 Serjeant Victor HOPKINS on the TNA MIC index.  I haven't checked the actual MIC yet for a mistranscription and have my lift to the pub revving its engine outside and SWMBO looking daggers at me, so will have to stop :w00t:

 

C/6235 Hopkins was in 18/KRRC, which is a good fit for the BAOR, but the MIC is proving elusive, so he may not have gone overseas before the Armistice.

 

Yep - TNA index 9046 is another TNA mistranscription. Nice one Paul.

 

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6 minutes ago, wandererpaul said:

Incrdeibly, soldier with the no. 9046 doesn't appear on the medal roll.

 

 

Hopkins - 9048 roll.JPG

 

 

Missing number just means the SN was allocated, but the soldier did not go overseas.  Usually means discharged or transferred to another regiment before going overseas.

Edited by MBrockway
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That's my feeling too Paul.

 

I'll do further digging on that after my birthday lunch.  If discharged, then there are often Pension Records if anyone wants to chase that angle for C/6235.

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Rifleman C/6235 A H Hopkins was based on Gidea Park in Oct 15 and appears on a Part 2 order with 18th Bn KRRC. - noted as being trans from A to E company.

https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=GBM/WO363-4/007294643/00233&parentid=GBM/WO363-4/SUPP/93100

 

Craig

Edited by ss002d6252
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5 hours ago, wandererpaul said:

I've looked for C/6235 and found nothing more on Ancestry or FMP. Just that one piece of burnt document. Must've been a transfer within the battalion on home shores.

 

The KRRC medal rolls for "Hopkins" produces 39 records. None, at present, seem to match this A H Hopkins as a Sgt. or as a C.S.M.

 

The mind boggles............

Thanks Paul.

 

The C/6235 Hopkins document relates to a transfer on 22 Oct 1915 of the soldier from 'A' Company in the main 18/KRRC battalion (who were in Blighty at Witley) back to the battalion's depot companies who were still at Gidea Park.  Most likely this was due to sickness or injury, but sometimes this was when there were concerns whether a recruit was under age, of marginal fitness, or was not likely to make an efficient soldier.

 

The only A H Hopkins I have on my KRRC database is A/204858 Rfn Albert H Hopkins, who we can safely eliminate, but I only have 37 Hopkins.  It's based on the MIC index though.  I'm slowly appending it with material from the rolls, service records and regimental material but it will be a good long time before I complete that!

 

Mark

 

Edited by MBrockway
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I'm posting Denise's family photographs on her and her family's behalf.

 

First off, here is Alfred Hopkins at his wedding on 14 Sep 1918 (100 years ago last Friday) ...

 

1592747430_HOPKINSAlfred(Ripley)-03(Wedding14Sep1918).jpg.ce93cc014144ca1940548045d1aacb62.jpg

 

Blackened rifles buttons, serjeant's stripes, what looks like three Overseas Chevrons on lower left sleeve.  All consistent with a KRRC serjeant who went out any time between 15 Sep 1915 to 13 Sep 1916 (ignoring any time excluded by the chevron rules). 

 

'Our' Alfred Hopkins is reported to have gone out in approx June 1915, so we would expect him to have three Overseas Chevrons in Sep 1918.

 

Beyond that not much to be gleaned from the photo, by me anyway.

 

More shortly.

 

Mark

 

 

Edited by MBrockway
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4 minutes ago, MaxD said:

Breaking my self imposed silence on this tangled web to wish you a Happy Birthday Mark.

 

Max

 

Cheers Max - it was actually yesterday, which is partly why Evelyn Southwell means so much to me  :poppy:

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Next photo of Alfred Hopkins from Denise ...

 

2069380602_HOPKINSAlfred(Ripley)-01.jpg.39c0b157518b0a13263b8276c3ff98f7.jpg

 

SD cap with KRRC-style maltese cross cap badge, blackened rifles buttons, swagger stick, three Overseas Chevrons and Warrant Officer Class II (WOII) large crown insignia on lower left sleeve, a hint of the edge of a WOII crown on the right sleeve.  Any shoulder titles are not visible on the photo.

 

Detail of the WOII crown & three Overseas Chevrons ...

1960187353_HOPKINSAlfred(Ripley)-01a(Sleeve).jpg.e8eca88c937f13128d6c1c324b779ce0.jpg

Company Serjeant-Majors were WOIIs and wore the large crown from (IIRC) Feb 1915 onwards.

 

With the info we have available on 'our' Alfred Hopkins, he would have got his third Overseas Chevron in approx Jun 1918 and been due his fourth Overseas Chevron in approx Jun 1919.  The newspaper report of 24 Jan 1919 of 'our' Alfred's promotion to Company Serjeant-Major is consistent with him showing three Overseas Chevrons.

 

This photo could well be a studio portrait at the time of his promotion to CSM.

 

Detail of the cap badge

520393922_HOPKINSAlfred(Ripley)-01b(capbadge).jpg.0a49ad5f8dc0f4980c978bb41bc01e5f.jpg

 

Certainly a KRRC-style Maltese cross cap badge, but with the photo in poor condition, I cannot rule out the various other Territorial Force regiments that had cap badges based on the KRRC.  I can certainly say this man being in the KRRC based on this photo is pretty safe though!

 

 

Worth pointing out perhaps that Good Conduct chevrons on the lower left sleeve were not worn by Senior NCOs and Warrant Officers - expectation of exemplary conduct went with the territory and they got no recognition for keeping a clean slate!

 

More to follow.

 

Mark

 

 

 

 

 

Edited by MBrockway
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Next picture from Denise ....

1089228482_HOPKINSAlfred(Ripley)-02.jpg.5fbbc2063078f5be5b9b78fa60c2f106.jpg

 

Service Dress with Brodie helmet, blackened rifles buttons, Patt 14 leather belt with snake head clasp, Small Box Respirator haversack (I think), serjeant's rank inverted chevrons.

 

Left lower arm is out of sight, so no info on Overseas Chevrons available.

 

Photo resolution is not good enough to see any divisional/battalion battle insignia.  Also I cannot be sure there are no Colour Serjeant's crowns above his rank badge.

 

Carrying (probably) a gas mask points to the picture having been taken in theatre.

 

Aside from rifles buttons, there's little in this photo to indicate KRRC, but equally nothing to rule out KRRC either.

 

Anyone spot anything else?

 

Mark

 

 

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Final photo from Denise ...

748050062_HOPKINSAlfred(Ripley)-04.jpg.8b720f35877ca933e2e1bf10f738684b.jpg

 

A mixed group of officers and serjeants in Brodies and carrying respirators, so almost certainly in theatre.  Certainly within artillery range of the front line.

 

Nine officers and eight serjeants, though some of the probable serjeants have their rank badges out of sight.

 

Denise says Alfred is in the third row on the right hand side, but I'm not certain which soldier that would be.  I think it's probably the man on the end with the other man's hand on his shoulder.  Whoever, little is visible beyond head and shoulders, so not many clues for us.

 

Most of the men have blackened rifles buttons,  Remember though that lack of rifles buttons does not prove a man is not Rifles as Rifles are sometimes seen in brass GS buttons.

 

Observations on the individuals ...

 

Front row seated, from left:

  • 2/Lt (probably - cuff rank with single band and the visible pip central and in line with the band, so the only pip)
  • Lt (shoulder rank) in what could be a Scottish pattern jacket, but with rifles buttons, regimental collar dogs - ?Cameronians/Scottish Rifles
  • Captain (cuff rank) with MC ribbon up and pipe.
  • Lt (cuff rank) with pioneer battalion crossed pick and rifle collar dogs (if KRRC, then this would be 20/KRRC or, after May 1918, 25/KRRC)

Centre row standing, from left:

  • Sergeant - brass GS buttons, pioneer collar dogs.  Due to photo damage I cannot rule out a Colour Sergeant's crown above the rank badge.
  • Sergeant - brass GS buttons, no collar dogs.  Possibly a medal ribbon/ribbons up & if so, then with no light stripes a DCM seems most likely. Could be QSA and KSA at a pinch.
  • ?Serjeant - rifles buttons, hint of pioneer collar dogs, Patt 1908 webbing belt, impressive moustache!
  • 2/Lt - rifles buttons
  • 2/Lt - rifles buttons
  • Lt - Scottish pattern jacket, with cuff rank, rifles buttons, ?possibly? regimental collar dogs - ?Cameronians/Scottish Rifles

Rear row standing, from left:

  • Officer - rank insignia invisible, rifles buttons
  • Officer - rank insignia invisible, rifles buttons
  • OR - rank insignia invisible, rifles buttons
  • Sergeant - rifles buttons
  • Sergeant - rifles buttons, pioneer collar dogs
  • Head only visible!  Has hand on shoulder of ...
  • OR - rank insignia invisible, rifles buttons [I think this is who Denise is identifying as 'our' Alfred Hopkins]

The KRRC and the Rifle Brigade were among the very few regiments whose officers did not wear regimental collar dogs, so given the rifles buttons, most of these officers are strong candidates for KRRC or RB.

 

With no cap badges whatever and the ?Scottish Rifles collar dogs impossible to see clearly, it is completely impossible to be certain of anything beyond saying most of these men are in rifles regiment(s).

 

No campaign ribbons up, so probably before Jan 1919.

 

No Overseas Chevrons, which would be before Jan 1918, but only one OR has the lower right sleeve visible, so unsafe to put too much weight on this IMHO.

 

No wound stripes visible, but very few of the lower left sleeves are properly visible, so they may be there.

 

My guess is this is some sort of training course photo at Corps or Brigade level, held close to the Front Line in, e.g. the Reserve area.  The senior officer is a captain, but we have nearly two companies' worth of officers present, so it cannot be the officers and SNCOs of a single company.  With the ranking officer only a captain, it cannot be a battalion or brigade HQ.

 

The mix of pioneer and non-pioneer shows we have at least two different battalions present too.

 

Perhaps a gas or bombing course?

 

No doubt other Pals will have further suggestions and will definitely spot other stuff I have missed!

 

I have reduced the photo in size to post it, if anyone wants specific close-ups, just sing out and I'll happily oblige.

 

Mark

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Hi 

What a fabulous job everyone is doing with deciphering grandad's military career. Is there something on GD'S arm between wrist and elbow - looks like swords or something similar?

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3 minutes ago, Denise Hopkins said:

Hi 

What a fabulous job everyone is doing with deciphering grandad's military career. Is there something on GD'S arm between wrist and elbow - looks like swords or something similar?

 

If you mean what I've ringed in yellow below

1761521517_HOPKINSAlfred(Ripley)-01-Copy.jpg.772cf9b9ae47b3b1069e4edef60f74c5.jpg

 

Then it is this ...

815979080_HOPKINSAlfred(Ripley)-01a(Sleeve).jpg.3b4ec52165ceff650cd8cf70d1037986.jpg

 

The Warrant Officer Class II crown rank badge of a Company Serjeant-Major above three blue Overseas Chevrons.

 

If you mean something else, could you tell us the Post # of the post that shows it.

 

Mark

 

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OK - I see you mean this ....

338395276_HOPKINSAlfred(Ripley)-02-Copy.jpg.bc4707741db06b578d236928a17f2ffa.jpg

 

Could possibly be a marksmanship skill at arms badge, but I think it is actually a blemish on the photo and/or creases in his sleeve.

 

I will do a close-up - wait five :thumbsup:

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