David Thomas Posted 25 September , 2021 Share Posted 25 September , 2021 George Henry Wade was awarded the DCM on the Somme. How he got there is a bit unclear to say the least. He was born George Henry Hooper in 1881, in Torquay, Devon. His mother died when he was about 3 . They had moved to the IOM where she came from when she passed away. His father Philip remarried fairly quickly and at some point George ran away to join the army. There is on possible sighting of him in barracks at York. He next appears on the Isle of Wight when he meets his future wife Kate. A son is born with Kates maiden name. In 1909 he marries Kate calling himself Hooper (first name) Wade (mother’s maiden name) From then on he is known as George Wade. He is based at Golden Hill IOW, Sheerness 1911, RGA Corporal, he is then posted to Hong Kong where a daughter was born in 1915 and then on to France. By this time his rank is BSM. when he died in 1954 his widow had difficulty in getting his full pension for some reason probably the changes of name. our question has always been did George Hooper desert and then reenlist . I have not been able to find record of this under either name. Where do I go from here. any suggestions very much appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clive_hughes Posted 25 September , 2021 Share Posted 25 September , 2021 To my inexpert eye the collar badges in the older photo are those of the 1st (King's) Dragoon Guards, a cavalry regiment. Clive Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Thomas Posted 25 September , 2021 Author Share Posted 25 September , 2021 That would fit with the York Barracks I believe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivor Anderson Posted 25 September , 2021 Share Posted 25 September , 2021 The most likely candidate in 1901 is the 'Private of Dragoons' at York Cavalry Barracks. From Torquay, aged 20 (b. Q1 1881 Newtown Abbot District): https://www.ancestry.co.uk/imageviewer/collections/7814/images/YRKRG13_4448_4450-0320?treeid=&personid=&hintid=&usePUB=true&usePUBJs=true&pId=28532328 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivor Anderson Posted 25 September , 2021 Share Posted 25 September , 2021 (edited) Parents married not too far away from York in Lancashire on 1 Jan. 1880 (MC off Ancestry). Mother died, father remarried 12 May 1888 on IOM. Edited 25 September , 2021 by Ivor Anderson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie962 Posted 25 September , 2021 Share Posted 25 September , 2021 Just to note that 9379 Geo Wade was reported wounded in the Daily Casualty List of 30th Jan 1917 suggesting actual wounding end Dec 1916 or beginning Jan 1917. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie962 Posted 25 September , 2021 Share Posted 25 September , 2021 Have you seen his details in RA Attestations (on FindmyPast here) It shows the various family details but also that he continued to serve with Army number 1400978, in which case the MoD Glasgow may still hold his service record ? He joined 11/10/1901 aged 20yrs 10mo. There is a note that he suffered GSW 28/3/04 which date is a bit bizarre. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Thomas Posted 25 September , 2021 Author Share Posted 25 September , 2021 Thankyou for those items. Margaret was from the Isle of Man and the Hooper from Berry Pomeroy, Devon. They were in Torquay when George was born Margaret died of TB at Ballamona, IOM so presumably went home possibly to be cared for by her mother when she was diagnosed. Philip remained on the IOM after her death. George would have enlisted from the IOM in his late teens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie962 Posted 25 September , 2021 Share Posted 25 September , 2021 (edited) Signing up in 1901 to the Royal Artillery aged nearly 21 leaves plenty of scope for an earlier enlistment in , say, the Dragoon Guards. Although he claims in Attestations that he was born Fardale IoM there was no verification done by the Army. The marriage and births of his children would have been subject to the Army seeing certificates. Charlie Edit- for example the 22 year old Townsend Studdert on that 1901 Dragoons Census had enlisted in 1894 with the 6th DG and served in Sth Africa Aug 1901-Aug 1902. Edited 25 September , 2021 by charlie962 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Thomas Posted 25 September , 2021 Author Share Posted 25 September , 2021 Thankyou Charlie . It does raise the question of whether the George Hooper on the 1901 census is him although I can find no other George Hooper or Wade on the 1901. That leaves a very short time before his attestation as George Wade. That coupled with his marriage as Hooper Wade ( father Philip Wade ( in reality) Hooper must surely mean he was hiding something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie962 Posted 25 September , 2021 Share Posted 25 September , 2021 5 minutes ago, David Thomas said: must surely mean he was hiding something. Whatever it was he appears to have done well subsequently. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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