Harold Hopewell
- Family History
- Military history
- Extra information
- Photographs
Harold was the son of George and Harriet Hopewell (née Brown).
George Hopewell was born in 1889 and Harriet in 1894; both were born in Arnold. They were married on 25 December 1912 at Daybrook Church, and had at least five children and probably three others, two of whom died young. The five children whose names were recorded on the census and England & Wales Register, were: George b. 1914, John Charles b. December 1915 (reg. 1916), Harriet b. 1917, Harold b. 1921 AMJ and Arthur b. 1934, who were all born in Arnold. Three other children, traced from birth registrations 'Hopewell/Brown reg. Basford', may be: Jack birth reg. 1924 JFM d. 1925 AMJ, Joseph birth reg 1926 JFM d. 1936 OND and Thomas b. 1927 JAS, who has not yet been traced after this date.
George, a bewer's labourer (Home Brewery), his wife and their four children, George, John Charles, Harriet and Harold (under 1 year) were living at 7 St Albans Road, Arnold, in 1921 when he completed the census return. However, they were living at 1 St Albans Road at the time of, or shortly after, George attested in the Army, but had moved to 7 St Albans Road by December 1918 when he was discharged.
George, now employed as a builder's labourer, his wife and their youngest child Arthur were still at the same address in 1939 when the England & Wales Register was compiled. However, the record of one other member of the household remains closed. Harold may have already been serving in the Army and three of his siblings were married; George to Winifred D Whittaker in 1935, John Charles to Eileen V WIlkins in 1936 and Harriet to Thomas W Tolley in 1939.
George senior's death was registered in 1962 (OND) and his widow Harriet died in April 1988. Both are buried in Red Hill Cemetery, Arnold (grave ref. E.32).
Harold served with the Sherwood Foresters (battalion not known). He was either a regular soldier or Reservist/Territorial Force mobilised on the outbreak of war.
Units of the Sherwood Foresters served in the France and Belgium Campaign, 1939-1940. The 2nd Battalon landed at Cherbourg on 27 September 1939 (3rd Brigade, 1st Division) and was evacuated through Dunkirk. The 1/5th, 2/5th and 9th Battalions supported the BEF as lines of communication troops, the two latter for pioneer duties. As the BEF retreated to the Channel ports, the 2nd, 2/5th and 9th Battalions defended the Dunkirk perimeter before the evacuation. The 1/5th Battalion, which was in the fighting alongside the 51st Highland Division, was evacuated from Cherbourg.
Harold was one of the thousands of military personnel, British Nationals and others who had to retreat through France to the ports to be evacuated. He was onboard HMT Lancastria (formerly SS Lancastria, a British flag ocean liner requisitioned by the Government), which was loaded well above its capacity of 2,200 passengers. The ship was bombed, either at anchor or very shortly after sailing, five miles off St Nazaire and sank within twenty minutes. There were fewer than 2,500 survivors but it was very difficult to establish the number of casualties. It is now suggested that the casualty figures could be between 4,000 and 7,000 dead and remains the largest single-ship loss of life in British maritime history.
Harold was initially reported 'missing at sea' and his parents did not have confirmation of his death until November 1941.
Harold's body was one of those recovered and he is buried in Le Clion-sur-Mer Communal Cemetery, France (grave ref. Coll. grave 4).
CWGC History of the Cemetery: Clion-sur-Mer is 44km from Nantes. 'Most of those buried here lost their lives when the S.S. Lancastria was sunk by enemy action off St Nazaire on 17 June, 1940. There are now over 70, 1939-45 war casualties commemorated in this site. Of these, over 25 are unidentified.' (www.cwgc.org)
Harold's father, George, enlisted on 11 December 1915 in the RFA (20617 Private). He was 25y 11m old, a coal miner contractor, married with one child, George, at the time he enlisted although his second son John was born a week later and then Harriet was born in September 1917. George was living in Arnold (address illegible) but his address was later amended to 1 St Albans Road. George transferred to the Army Reserve the following day and was not mobilised until 1 October 1917. He was posted to the RFA Reserve Brigade (20617 Driver) then transferred to Newcastle on Tyne two days later when he was mustered Gunner (as authorised WO Letter 2269 AG6). However, he was discharged 'surplus to Military requirements' on 14 December 1918; home address 7 St Albans Road. Engagement to 14 December (Home), 3y 3d.
CWGC: Son of George and Harriett Hopewell, of Arnold, Nottinghamshire
CWGC headstone personal inscription: 'His duty done. Gone but not forgotten'
List 172: British Army List of Missing to be Circulated to POW Camps. Includes Copy of 1st & 2nd Lists. The Sherwood Foresters. Missing. 4976196 L/Cpl Hopewell Harold
Casualty Lists Other Ranks, 11 November 1941-4 December 1. (At Sea) Presumed Killed in Action. Sherwood Foresters. 4976196 Hopewell L/Cpl H. IBD 17 June 1940. (Previously shown on Casualty List No. 289 as Missing, Expeditionary Force France, date not reported)
Beeston Gazette, 28 September 1940. 'Roll of Honour of Arnold and Daybrook Men serving in HM Forces. Reported Missing. Hopewell H, Sherwood Foresters, 7 St Alban-road, Arnold. Also Jones JJ 6 Saunders-yard, Front-street, Arnold. Smith George Edward, Sherwood Foresters, 2 St Alban’s Road, Arnold.' (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
Nottingham Advertiser, 28 September 1940. 'Roll of Honour of Arnold and Daybrook Men serving in HM Forces.' and also published in The Beeston Gazette of the same date. Hopewell's name appears in every edition of the weekly Roll of Honour after this date until November 1941 when it was confirmed that he had died in June 1940.
Nottingham Advertiser, 22 November 1941:’Killed in Action. In the first roll of honour published in these columns in September, 1940, of Arnold and Daybrook men serving with the Forces, there appeared the name of Lance-Corporal Harold Hopewell, of 7, St Albans-road, Arnold, who had been missing since the evacuation of Dunkirk. Hopewell’s parents have now received notice that their son, he was 20 years of age, and served with the Sherwood Foresters, was killed at sea. The ship [HMT Lancastria] on which he was being evacuated from Dunkirk was hit and Lance Corporal Hopewell was killed.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
Photo of Harold Hopewell
Buried in Le Clion-sur-Mer Communal Cemetery, France (www.cwgc.org)