HOPKINS, Harold Rupert
| Service Number: | 2965 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 1st Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Wallsend, New South Wales, Australia, 25 February 1897 |
| Home Town: | Marrickville, Marrickville, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Dairyman |
| Died: | The General Hospital, Dorking, Surrey, England, 28 January 1954, aged 56 years, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
East Ham (St. Mary Magdalene) Churchyard |
| Memorials: |
World War 1 Service
| 30 Sep 1915: | Involvement Private, 2965, 1st Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '7' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Argyllshire embarkation_ship_number: A8 public_note: '' | |
|---|---|---|
| 30 Sep 1915: | Embarked Private, 2965, 1st Infantry Battalion, HMAT Argyllshire, Sydney |
Help us honour Harold Rupert Hopkins's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Geoffrey Gillon
Deaths Mar 1954 HOPKINS Harold S R 56 Surrey S.E. 5g 959
He was 56.
Biography contributed by Cathy Sedgwick
The summary below was completed by Cathy Sedgwick – Facebook “WW1 Australian War Graves in England/UK/Scotland/Ireland”
Died on this date – 28th January…… Harold Rupert Splendie/Splendide Hopkins was born on 25th February, 1897 at Wallsend, near Newcastle, New South Wales to parents Ulysses Grant & Eliza Hopkins (nee Horn).
His father died on 7th June, 1914 at Marrickville, Sydney, NSW.
Harold Rupert Hopkins was an 18 year old, single, Dairyman from Glen Street, Marrickville, NSW when he enlisted at Liverpool, Sydney, NSW on 18th July, 1915 with the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.).
As he was under the age of 21 his mother had to give her consent for her son to enlist in the Australian Imperial Force for active Service abroad. Eliza Jackson wrote on 28th September, 1916 “I give my consent for my son Harold R S Hopkins to enlist.”
Private Harold Rupert Hopkins, Service number 2965, embarked from Sydney, New South Wales on HMAT Argyllshire (A8) on 30th September, 1915 with the 1st Infantry Battalion, 9th Reinforcements.
He was admitted to No. 1 Australian General Hospital at Heliopolis on 25th January, 1916 with Cardiac disease.
Mrs E. Jackson, Glen Street, Marrickville, NSW was advised by Base Records on 5th February, 1916 that her son Private H. R. S. Hopkins had been admitted to 1st Australian General Hospital at Heliopolis on 15th January – Cardiac severe.
A Medical Report was completed on Private Harold Rupert Hopkins on 12th February, 1916 while a patient at No. 1 Australian General Hospital, Heliopolis. His disability was listed as Cardiac Disease – place of origin – Australia; date unknown. The Officer in charge of the Medical case recommended that Private Hopkins be discharged as permanently unfit. The Medical Board agreed on 14th February, 1916 that Private Harold Rupert Hopkins was permanently unfit for service.
On 3rd March, 1916 Private Hopkins embarked from Suez on H.M.A.T. Argyllshire for Australia & discharge due to Cardiac disease.
He arrived in Australia on 30th March, 1916 & was admitted to No. 4 Australian General Hospital, Sydney, NSW on 3rd April, 1916. Private Hopkins was under treatment from 17th to 27th April, 1916 for Mitral Regurgitation.
The Medical Board at No. 4 Australian General Hospital, Sydney, NSW agreed on 30th April, 1916 that Private Harold Rupert Hopkins should be discharged with a Pension.
Private Harold Rupert Hopkins was discharged from the Australian Imperial Force on 1st July, 1916 at 2nd Military District in consequence of medical unfitness.
A War Pension was granted to Harold Rupert Splendide Hopkins, “Chelsea”, Glen Street, Marrickville, in the sum of £3 per fortnight from 2nd July, 1916.
Private Harold Rupert Hopkins was entitled to 1914/15 Star, British War Medal & the Victory Medal for his Service.
His mother – Eliza Hopkins died on 22nd February, 1933 at Marrickville, Sydney, NSW.
Harold Rupert Hopkins became a Merchant Seaman. He is listed in the British Merchant Seamen for 1918-1941 & listed in the database for World War 2 Medals issued to Merchant Seaman. Discharge number R 103147 dated 17th August, 1931.
He married Frances L. Taylor in the district of Poole, Dorset, England in the December quarter, 1939.
Ex-Private Harold Rupert Hopkins died on 28th January, 1954 at The General Hospital, Dorking, Surrey, England.
He was buried on 4th February, 1954 in St. Mary Magdalene Churchyard, East Ham, Greater London, England. His headstone appears to be a Commonwealth War Graves Commission headstone.
*** The Commonwealth War Graves Commission were contacted at the time of researching (2022) ex-Private Harold Rupert Splendie/Splendide Hopkins to confirm if he did have a CWGC headstone or if it was a headstone made to resemble a CWGC Headstone.
The CWGC advised that they had no records on this man.
In December, 2022 Kevin Barnes, Commonwealth War Graves Commission Regional Operations Coordinator for South East Region, England posted on Twitter that he was at St. Mary Magdalene Churchyard, East Ham so I quickly replied that I was looking for Ex Private Harold Rupert Splendie HOPKINS 2965 CWGC lookalike Headstone.
Result – Kev Barnes found the headstone!
The churchyard is now managed as a nature reserve by Newham Council. The oldest part of the churchyard, around the church, is kept neat and tidy but much of the rest towards the south and east has been allowed to turn into woodland. This is in the woodland part of the churchyard.
Private H. R. S. Hopkins is remembered in the New South Wales Garden of Remembrance, adjacent to Sydney War Cemetery, Memorial Avenue, Rookwood, Sydney, NSW. Wall 28 Panel Q.
(The above is a summary of my research. The full research can be found by following the link below)
https://ww1austburialsuk.weebly.com/east-ham.html
Click images to start slideshow.