Charles Hooper

Memorial: Kingswood - Holy Trinity Church

Regiment: Bedfordshire Regiment

Medals: 1914–15 Star, British War Medal, Next of Kin Memorial Plaque 1914 - 1921, Silver War Badge, Victory Medal

Rank and number: Private 43525

Parents: Eliza and John Arthur Hooper

Home address: London Street, Kingswood, Bristol

Pre-war occupation: Bootmaker

Date of birth: 1885

Place of birth: Oldland, Bristol

Date of death: 27/03/1918

Age: 33

Further information:

Charles was born in Oldland, the son of a coal haulier and a middle child of eight children with three sisters and four brothers.

Charles enlisted in 1914, initially in the East Surrey Regiment (service no 241373) later transferring to the 4th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment. Charles' regiment mobilised to France in July 1916 and engaged in various actions on the Western Front including The Battle of the Ancre and the Battles of the Somme. Charles was listed as prisoner of war and ultimately lost his life during Operation Michael (21 Mar 1918 – 5 Apr 1918) a German victory resulting in 239,800 allied casualties. Charles's body was never found and he is remembered on The Arras Memorial which commemorates nearly 35,000 soldiers of the British, South African and New Zealand forces who have no known grave.

By kind permission, this information is based on the following source(s):

This information has been provided by Sarah Hands, Volunteer Researcher for the South Gloucestershire War Memorials Web Site.
By kind permission, this information is based on the following source(s):
https://www.cwgc.org/
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/
https://www.findmypast.co.uk/
https://www.forces-war-records.co.uk/