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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

Can anyone help please?


Witneyjack

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post-13857-1155928073.jpg

I am new to this forum and wondered if anyone can help. The attached photo is of my Great Grandfather Hugh Hooper. He died as a result of his war experiences in Nov 1920 and his name has been entered on the war memorial in Swansea. On the said memorial he is listed as a member of the Royal Field Artillery.

This is where my problem starts. There is a Hugh Hooper on the Medal Roll Index and he was in the RFA.However he was invalided out in December 1914, the attached picture was taken in 1916. Also the cap badge is not a RFA one I believe. A friend seems to think it is the King's Liverpool Regiment ? Can anyone please confirm this? I cannot find any other entry for Hugh Hooper in the Medal Roll and I would be really chuffed to find out more about him and where he fought.

Thanks to anyone who can help.

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Hi and welcome,

I would say that it is certainly a King's (Liverpool) Regiment cap badge.

I'll think further about this but other pals may come in and solve your problem.

Good luck.

Ian

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Thank you both for such a quick reply. It just adds to my confusion as he lived in Swansea and had no connection to Liverpool. Is the Medal roll complete? I still can't find him on there. <_<

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Sorry Tuna definately not West Yorks. Kings Liverpool.

Witneyjack, how sure are you that that is a photo of your grandfather? Could it be of another relative?

There are a couple of Hooper's on the mic's belonging to the Liverpool regiment.

Roger.

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Its definitely my Great Grandfather Hugh Hooper as the full picture is of my Great Grandmother , and the three children (one of whom was my grandfather). He definitely only had one first name Hugh.

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Is it possible to post the whole photo in case there are any clues?

No need to apologize Tuna :) .

Roger.

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Hi Witneyjack,

Have checked the on-line roll at

http://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/mol/col...ns/citysoldiers

and no Hugh Hooper. I do not imagine that this is in any way conclusive and you may wish to contact the museum personally. They have been very quiet recently due to some sort of re-organisation but I suspect that they may be up and running again now.

Good luck,

Ian

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I will try and post the whole picture if I can reduce the size. I will also post the photo of him at the Military hospital as well.

Can I just express my sincere thanks and tell you how humble I feel that so many of you have welcomed me and tried so hard to help me :)

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Witneyjack,

If he joined using an alias, which was quite prevalent, then it could be a problem finding him unless you manage to get hold of a company/platoon/course photograph, complete with names.

Aye

Tom McC

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post-13857-1155932045.jpg

This photo is of Hugh whilst he was in a hospital somwhere. He is the one lying down at the front on the left.

P.S. I am aware that he was at Salamanca Barracks in Aldershot at some point during his service. Were The Kings Regiment ?

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The picture loaded fine, but no clues I'm afraid.

I've encountered this kind of thing in my own research I have a photo of a soldier who was killed whilst serving in the West Riding Regiment but the only photo I have of him he is wearing the cap badge of the Yorkshire Regiment. It turned out he was in the 3rd Reserve Battalion of the Yorks before being posted overseas to the West Riding Regt. This could be one of many possibilities.

My best guess is he was in The King's and then was transferred to RFA.

Sorry I can't be of any more help.

Roger.

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I posted my last post before seeing the hospital photo, he is wearing the Kings badge there, perhaps he went to the RFA after recovering from his wounds?

Or there was a mistake and he was never in the artillery.

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Unfortunately that is about all I know Roger. I do appreciate your help though. He is definitely listed as RFA as he is the only Hugh Hooper and my mother remembers going down there regularly with her grandmother to lay flowers.

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  • 13 years later...

Hello all,

13 years on I have finally been able to find out some information thanks to the publication of pension records.

 

According to these he was

 

Private 201591 Hugh Hooper of the Labour Corps.

 

Next step is to try and find out his role and whether he transferred there from the RFA or Kings Liverpool Regiment.

 

Thanks for all members help all those years ago. I am pleased to have moved forward.

 

Regards

 

Duncan

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1 hour ago, Witneyjack said:

Next step is to try and find out his role and whether he transferred there from the RFA or Kings Liverpool Regiment.

 

Hi Duncan and all

Duncan, have you got his marriage cert. Swansea,Glamorgan, 11a, 1828 to Elvina Cole. 3rd qtr 1911. His occupation may help to rule out the RFA.

 

Hugh Hooper Gnr. 30719 RFA 22nd Res. Battery saw service from 21.2.03 to 10.12.14. disch. sickness SWB No.319810 Brit/Vic/Star

The medal award rolls for 201591 Hugh Hooper Labour Corps. has no other Regt. same as MIC. Brit/Vic.

 

Regards Barry

Edited by The Inspector
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1 hour ago, Witneyjack said:

Hello all,

13 years on I have finally been able to find out some information thanks to the publication of pension records.

 

According to these he was

 

Private 201591 Hugh Hooper of the Labour Corps.

 

Next step is to try and find out his role and whether he transferred there from the RFA or Kings Liverpool Regiment.

 

Thanks for all members help all those years ago. I am pleased to have moved forward.

 

Regards

 

Duncan

The Medal Index Card for 201591 shows no other unit than the Labour Corps. "No Labour, No Battle" - John Starling and Ivor Lee, suggests his Labour Corps No. was issued June - September 1917.

 His hospitalisation is most likely to have been due to sickness or an accident rather than wounds received, with the transfer from the Liverpool Regiment to the Labour Corps after medical reclassification.  Transfer to the Labour Corps indicates he was deemed unfit for front line service, once transferred he may have been employed utilising civilian skills, for example Agricultural workers.

Edited by GWF1967
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