Date of birth: 13/03/1894

Place of birth: Dummer, Hampshire, England, United Kingdom

Last known residence: Flower Cottage, Preston Candover, Hampshire, England, United Kingdom

Profession: Carter

Country: England, United Kingdom

Force: British Expeditionary Force

Rank: Private

Service number: 27469

Enlistment place: Basingstoke, Hampshire, England, United Kingdom

Units:  —  Hampshire Regiment, 14th Bn.  (Last known unit)

Date of death: 01/08/1917

Place of death: Alberta Farm, Sint-Juliaan, Belgium

Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.)

Age: 23

British War Medal Medal

Victory Medal Medal

Henry Reginald Hopkins was born on 13 March 1894 in Dummer, near Basingstoke in Hampshire. He grew up with his mother Ellen, his stepfather Arthur Kimber and his stepsisters and brother in neighbouring Preston Candover. He worked as a carter on a farm. In Basingstoke, he enlisted in the British Expeditionary Force. Henry was assigned to the 14th Battalion Hampshire Regiment, part of the 116th Brigade of the 39th Division.

After fighting at Arras, the division returned to Flanders where some battalions took part in the Battle of Messines. The 14th remained in reserve. On 29 July 1917, the 14th Battalion moved to the Canal Bank at Ypres to take up its position the following evening for the attack that would mark the beginning of the Battle of Passchendaele. The 14th Hampshires were in support of the 11th Sussex Regiment, with the 13th Sussex Regiment on the right and the 17th Sherwood Foresters on the left at Hill Top Farm near Wieltje. The 116th and 117th Brigades aimed to cross the Steenbeek. The 118th Brigade was to take St Julien. The hour zero was at 03h50 on 31 July 1917. The German front line was quickly taken, but once the troops were swallowed by no-man's land, scattered 'pill-boxes' in the path of the 14th Battalion caused much trouble. The German machine guns were concealed and caused many casualties, resulting in delay and disorganisation. Especially around Alberta, just beyond the first fortified German defence line, the Albrecht-Stellung, the troops encountered fierce resistance. Only with the help of 2 tanks was the obstacle overcome. The ruins of St Julien were briefly taken by the 118th Brigade, but were soon abandoned due to increasing German pressure. The 14th Hampshires were able to dig in east of the Steenbeek. In the following days, however, the Battalion was heavily shelled; only outposts across the Steenbeek were retained. On the morning of 3 August, the battered battalion was relieved and withdrawn to the canal bank.

Henry Reginald Hopkins, aged 23, died on 1 August 1917. He was buried directly in Buffs Road Cemetery, Row D, Grave 43.

14 Battalion Hampshire Regiment (The National Archives, KEW (TNA) , WO 95/2583/6). https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ Sources used

Atkinson C.T., The Royal Hampshire Regiment, Vol II 1914-1918, (Glasgow, Robert Maclehose & Company Ltd. , The University Press,1952), 228-231. Sources used

British Army World War I Medal Rolls Index Cards, 1914-1920 (The National Archives, Kew (TNA), WO 372). https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ Sources used

Census Returns of England and Wales, 1901 (The National Archives, Kew (TNA), RG13). https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ Sources used

Census Returns of England and Wales, 1911 (The National Archives, Kew (TNA), RG14). https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ Sources used

McCarthy Chris., Passchendaele. The Day-by-Day Account (London, Unicorn Publishing Group, 2018), 29-30. Sources used

UK, World War I Service Medal and Awards Rolls, 1914-1920(The National Archives, Kew (TNA), WO 329). https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ Sources used

Commonwealth War Graves Commission Database https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/451641

Lives of the First World War (Imperial War Museum) https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/2546230

Namenlijst (In Flanders Fields Museum) https://namenlijst.org/publicsearch/#/person/_id=2c1a6122-6915-47dc-9b40-007831960d0a