HOPKINS, John Route
| Service Number: | 54916 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 27 March 1918, Garrison Artillery, 15 years |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 59th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Preston, Victoria, Australia, date not yet discovered |
| Home Town: | Coburg, Moreland, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Preston State School, Preston, Victoria |
| Occupation: | Plumber |
| Died: | Pleuro Pneumonia, At Sea - H.M.T. Delta, 11 February 1919, age not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
No known grave - "Known Unto God" Buried at sea Hollybrook Memorial, Southampton, England |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Hollybrook Memorial, Southampton |
World War 1 Service
| 27 Mar 1918: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 54916, 1st to 17th (VIC) Reinforcements, Garrison Artillery, 15 years | |
|---|---|---|
| 5 Jun 1918: | Involvement Private, 54916, 1st to 17th (VIC) Reinforcements, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '20' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: RMS Orontes embarkation_ship_number: '' public_note: '' | |
| 5 Jun 1918: | Embarked Private, 54916, 1st to 17th (VIC) Reinforcements, RMS Orontes, Sydney | |
| 11 Feb 1919: | Involvement Private, 54916, 59th Infantry Battalion, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 54916 awm_unit: 59th Australian Infantry Battalion awm_rank: Private awm_died_date: 1919-02-11 |
Help us honour John Route Hopkins's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Evan Evans
The summary below was completed by Cathy Sedgwick – Facebook “WW1 Australian War Graves in England/UK/Scotland/Ireland
Died on this date – 11th February…… Private John Route Hopkins listed his date of birth as 17th March, 1885 on his Attestation Papers, however his birth was registered in 1887 at Preston, Victoria.
John Route Hopkins married Catherine Margaret Hopkins in 1907 in Victoria.
A son - John Ralph Hopkins was born in 1908 in Victoria. He died 23rd April, 1908.
Catherine Margaret Hopkins, wife of John Route Hopkins, died on 26th August, 1908, in Victoria.
John Route Hopkins married Alice Mabel White in 1913 in Victoria.
He enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) on 21st March, 1918 stating he was a 33 year old, married, Plumber (& Gasfitter) from Coburg, Victoria.
Private John Route Hopkins, Service number 54916, embarked from Sydney, New South Wales on RMS Orontes on 5th June, 1918 with the 4th Victorian Reinforcements & was appointed Acting Lance Corporal for the voyage. He disembarked at Liverpool, England on 11th August, 1918 & reverted to the rank of Private on being posted to 14th Training Battalion at Codford, Wiltshire, England.
On 13th August, 1918 Private Hopkins was allotted to Reinforcements of 59th Battalion whilst posted at 14th Training Battalion, Codford.
He was admitted to Base Clearing Hospital, Codford, Wiltshire on 29th August, 1918 with Synovitis of Right Knee & was transferred & admitted to No. 3 New Zealand General Hospital on 13th September, 1918. He developed Scabies on 9th October, 1918 while a patient at No. 3 New Zealand General Hospital & was transferred to Scabies Ward. He was cured on 18th October, 1918. His knee was reported to be much improved on 23rd October, 1918 & he was discharged to duty.
Private Hopkins was admitted to No. 2 Group Clearing Hospital on 31st October, 1918 with Subluxation of Patella.
A Medical Report was completed on Private John Route Hopkins on 2nd November, 1918 at No. 2 Group Clearing Hospital. His disability was listed as Subluxation of Patella which had happened on 17th August, 1918 at Salisbury, Wiltshire, England. “In tug o’ war at Military Sports leg gave way. Since then has given way several times. Treated at Codford for Synovitis & at No. 3 N.Z.G.H. for strained vastus Intermus(?). Discharged “much improved.” Private Hopkins’ disability was listed by Medical Officer as “1. Traumatic 2. Attributable to Service 3. Not aggravated by Service.” Private Hopkins’ present condition was listed as “Undue mobility of patella with history of repeated subluxations, Swollen joint due to some excess fluid.” The Medical Officer in charge of the case recommended that Private Hopkins was classified as C1 – fit for Home Service only. The Medical Board found on 5th November, 1918 that Private Hopkins was permanently unfit for General Service but fit for Home Service.
On 15th November, 1917 Private Hopkins was discharged to his Unit from No. 2 Group Clearing Hospital, Wiltshire.
Private Hopkins was returned to Australia & embarked from England on 24th January, 1919 on SS Delta. He was reported to be dangerously ill with Broncho Pneumonia as reported at Suez.
Private John Route Hopkins died at 5.45 pm on 11th February, 1919 in Ship’s Hospital – H.M.T. Delta from Pleuro Pneumonia.
He was buried at Sea with full Military Honors at 9 pm on 11th February, 1919.
He is commemorated on the Hollybrook Memorial, Southampton, Hampshire, England as he has no grave. His death is acknowledged by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
(The above is a summary of my research. The full research can be found by following the link below)
https://ww1austburialsuk.weebly.com/g---j.html
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