Stalbridge Remembers
IVOR ROBERT HOPKINS
Private 313119
l/7th Battalion Gordon Highlanders
formerly Private 512276
14th London Scottish Regiment
Killed in action Thursday 4th July 1918
Aged 18
His grave No. III. D. 5 is in
ANZIN-ST. AUBIN BRITISH CEMETERY, PAS-de-CALAIS, FRANCE.
Son of William and Bessie Hopkins of Church Hill, Stalbridge.
Personal details:
Born 7th August 1899 and baptised 1st October. He had an older brother William and a younger sister Evelyn (the mother of Joan Bryan of Gold Street). His father worked in Prideaux's milk factory. Left Stalbridge School 1st May 1913 being 13 but exempt from staying till he was 14 as he had passed the labour examination. At that time he lived in Church Hill in the house now named Somerdale. He enlisted in London on 4th October 1917 in the 14th London Scottish Regiment. The precise date of his transfer to the Gordon Highlanders is not known.
Born 7th August 1899 and baptised 1st October. He had an older brother William and a younger sister Evelyn (the mother of Joan Bryan of Gold Street). His father worked in Prideaux's milk factory. Left Stalbridge School 1st May 1913 being 13 but exempt from staying till he was 14 as he had passed the labour examination. At that time he lived in Church Hill in the house now named Somerdale. He enlisted in London on 4th October 1917 in the 14th London Scottish Regiment. The precise date of his transfer to the Gordon Highlanders is not known.
Military details:
On enlistment he was assigned to 7 Company in Hut 37 at Hazeley Town Camp near Winchester. He finished the musketry course at Chiseldon in March 1918. His leave, which started on 26th March, was curtailed the next day and his company shipped to Etaples in France on 6th April. On 20th April his Company was attached to A Company 1/7 Gordon Highlanders (part of 153 Brigade) at St Hillaire, and he soon became the Officers Servant to the Company Commander, 2nd Lieutenant T H Watson. In May the Battalion moved to within 5 kilometers of the Vimy Ridge. He was gassed while on a Lewis gun course on 27th May, but returned to duty from Equiers hospital 7 days later. By the end of June he was employed in the Battalion HQ.
According to a letter from the Rev G C Rolfe, the Chaplain to the 1/7 Gordons, he was killed instantly by a splinter from a German shell. His body was borne at his funeral the next day by his friends from the London Scottish regiment.
His last letter home was dated 2nd July.
On enlistment he was assigned to 7 Company in Hut 37 at Hazeley Town Camp near Winchester. He finished the musketry course at Chiseldon in March 1918. His leave, which started on 26th March, was curtailed the next day and his company shipped to Etaples in France on 6th April. On 20th April his Company was attached to A Company 1/7 Gordon Highlanders (part of 153 Brigade) at St Hillaire, and he soon became the Officers Servant to the Company Commander, 2nd Lieutenant T H Watson. In May the Battalion moved to within 5 kilometers of the Vimy Ridge. He was gassed while on a Lewis gun course on 27th May, but returned to duty from Equiers hospital 7 days later. By the end of June he was employed in the Battalion HQ.
According to a letter from the Rev G C Rolfe, the Chaplain to the 1/7 Gordons, he was killed instantly by a splinter from a German shell. His body was borne at his funeral the next day by his friends from the London Scottish regiment.
His last letter home was dated 2nd July.
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'A' Company, 1/7 Gordon Highlanders
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His field grave
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Final resting place at Anzin-St. Aubin British Cemetery
