Frank Hopewell

Frank Hopewell enlisted in the Royal Tank Corps, 545597 Trooper, on 5 January 1926 from the Notts Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry. He was discharged from the Royal Tank Corps on 4 January 1930 at Canterbury and re-enlisted into the Notts Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry (TA) on 11 April 1933.

He was mobilized in August 1939 before the outbreak of war and served with the Royal Armoured Corps, Nottinghamshire Yeomanry. He went overseas in 1940 and latterly served in East Africa where he died from malaria on 27 October 1944. He is buried in Hargeisa War Cemetery, Somalia (grave ref. C.21). The history of the Cemetery suggests that he may have been admitted to the Military Hospital at Hargeisa.

CWGC History of Hargeisa War Cemetery, Somalia (extract): Hargeisa is 204kms from the chief port of Berbera. ‘With the Vichy Government in control of French Somaliland, and the rest of the adjoining territory in Italian hands, the position of British Somaliland and its small garrison was precarious when Italy entered the war on 10 June 1940. After a sharp but brief engagement against much larger numbers in difficult terrain, the garrison withdrew. The Italians occupied British Somaliland from August 1940, until it was retaken in March 1941. Hargeisa was the capital of British Somaliland from the setting up of the British Military Administration there in May 1941, until July 1960, when Somalia and the former British Somaliland Protectorate were united to form the Somali Republic.' The Cemetery contains 115 WW2 Commonwealth burials, mostly made from the military hospital at Hargeisa. (www.cwgc.org)

Frank's father, Joseph, of 5 Guildhall Street, Newark, attested in the 4th Bn Notts & Derby (Militia) on 6 October 1887, aged 18y 7m (3000 Private) but served for only two months. He had previously served with the Militia for 176 days, discharged by purchase on 1 April 1887 (2687 Private). Joseph attested on 12 November 1914 at the age off 44y 4m in the 8th (Reserve) Battalion Sherwood Foresters on a Territorial Force engagement (4 years service UK), 3103 Private. Home Service 12 November 1914-31 January 1916 (1y 60d). He was discharged under Para 392 (xvi) KR, 'in consequence of no longer being fit for war service.' Medical reports show that he was in poor health, suffering from, among other things, chronic rheumatism as a result of active service at home, 'trench digging in the wet'. He also had poor vision.

Frank's brother Bertie enlisted in the Notts Yeomanry Sherwood Rangers, Royal Tank Corps (544895 Trooper), on 27 May 1925 aged 35y 2m. He had previously served in the Notts & Derby Regt (Militia) for 5y 199d (305580 Private). He was discharged from RTC at Canterbury on 10 March 1930 (Para 199/1 TA Regs).

Newark Advertiser, 15 November 1944, report with photograph: ‘Sgt F Hopewell’s death. Mrs KM Hopewell of 5 Beacon Place, Massey Street, Newark, has received the sad news that her husband, Sgt Frank Hopewell, has died following illness at a hospital in EA Command. He is the son of Mr Joseph Hopewell of 4, Carlton Close. Sgt Hopewell had served in the Sherwood Rangers for a considerable number of years prior to the outbreak of war, and went overseas five years ago. He was 37 years of age and has two sons.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)

Newark Advertiser, 29 November 1944: ‘Municipalia. It was reported that Sergeant F Hopewell, a member of the Cemetery staff had died abroad on active service, and it was resolved that a letter of sympathy be sent to his widow.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)

Newark Advertiser, 29 November 1944: Town Council reports including, ‘Death of Sgt Hopewell. The Mayor drew attention to the death of a member of the Cemetery staff who died abroad on active service, Sergt. F Hopewell, and said that they had lost a valuable member of staff who had been in that employment for a considerable number of years. He was called up in August 1939 and went to the East in Jan. 1940, serving in different theatres of war and after a short illness in East Africa, died. During the time he was at the Cemetery he proved himself a conscientious and hard-working man, and his place on the Cemetery staff would be hard to fill. He suggested that they write to his widow a letter expressing the sympathy of the Council. The Mayor’s suggestion was agreed to.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)

Newark Advertiser, 25 July 1945 (extract): ‘Found Drowned In Trent. Coroner’s Open Verdict. In the absence of definite evidence to guide him, the Newark Borough Coroner (Mr JB Norman), recorded an open verdict into the death of Joseph Hopewell (75), 4, Bungalow, Carlton Close, Newark, who was found floating face downwards in the river Trent near the Town Lock on Thursday morning. Mrs Ruth Chester, 33 Cross Street, Newark, identified the deceased as her brother, who was a retired plastermaker. She said he was a widower and lived alone. She last saw him alive on Monday, July 16th, at about 7.30pm. He was then very ill and said he thought he had an ulcer in his stomach, and was attending Dr Hine, who gave him sleeping tablets. He was at her house when he told her this. Last winter he remarked to her that he lived a long way from the Trent. Witness said, ‘Surely you will not make away with yourself?. Deceased said that he had nothing to live for since his son died during the present war while on service. Her brother was not subject to fits. His eyesight was bad and he was very deaf. Witness had never heard of the deceased gong for walks down the Trent side.’ The Coroner heard evidence from the police who had received a telephone message from the Trent Navigation Co. that a body was in the river at the boom of the Lock Entry and an account of the police investigation presented to the Coroner was included in the newspaper report. ‘The Coroner said … there was nothing in the evidence to show the circumstances under which he got into the water. In the absence of that he (the Coroner) did not feel that he ought to bring in a verdict of suicide, and he therefore proposed to leave it as an open verdict.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)