Saw on TopFoto a photograph of a marker where Pte Frederick Walter Hopwood was killed on the 17th/18th September 1944. He was with 3rd Parachute Battalion aged 26, he was wounded with the battalion in North Africa on 9th November 1942. Verrieres made reference to this marker in Field & Cemetery Burials thread.
Frederick Walter Hopwood 1917–1944 BIRTH 16 JUL 1917 • Woodbank, Cheshire, England DEATH 18 SEPTEMBER 1944 • Arnhem, Gelderland, Netherlands Spouse: Mabel Stewart Father: James Hopwood Mother: Emily Evans Birth: 16/07/1917 Woodbank Cheshire England Death: 18/09/1944 Arnhem Arnhem Gelderland Netherlands Residence: 1941 Chester UK, Army Roll of Honour, 1939-1945 Name: Frederick Hopwood Given Initials: F W Rank: Private Death Date: 18 Sep 1944 Number: 1526130 Birth Place: Chester Residence: Chester Branch at Enlistment: Army Air Corps Theatre of War: Western Europe Campaign, 1944/45 Regiment at Death: Parachute Regiment (not otherwise specified) Branch at Death: Army Air Corps Global, Find A Grave Index for Burials at Sea and other Select Burial Locations, 1300s-Current Name: Private Frederick Walter Hopwood Death Date: 18 Sep 1944 Death Place: Oosterbeek, Renkum Municipality, Gelderland, Netherlands Cemetery: Arnhem War Cemetery Burial or Cremation Place: Oosterbeek, Renkum Municipality, Gelderland, Netherlands Has Bio?: Y Private Frederick Walter Hopwood (Unknown-1944) -... TD If the photo is him, then I think the record for the Army Roll of Honour may have an error i.e. Branch at Enlistment: Army Air Corps I could be wrong and it would not be the first time TD
1939 REGISTER Bank Farm, Woodbank, Chester R.D., Cheshire Name - DOB - Occupation - Marital status James Hopwood - 01 May 1883 - Small Holder & Foreman Platelayer (Steel Work) - Married Emily Hopwood - 24 May 1881 - Unpaid Domestic Duties - Married Olive Mary Walter (Hopwood) - 03 Sep 1915 - Farm Work (Assisting Father) - Single Frederick W Hopwood - 16 Jul 1917 - Locomotive Cleaner (Steel Works) - Single
Extract re Lieutenant James Cleminson, 3rd Battalion The Parachute Regiment, 3rd Battalion's lead element on the advance into Arnhem (from "A Street In Arnhem", Robert Kershaw 2014). "Further east along the Utrechtseweg at the next crossroads, Cleminson's lead element came under fire from a German self-propelled gun. The armoured vehicle "drove straight down the road into my lead section, knocking out the platoon PIAT". They scattered into the gardens at the side of the road and tried to work their way around the gun. A fierce firefight ensued and "the Germans pulled back, taking their wounded and some of ours". It is highly likely that Private F W Hopwood was killed in this action. And, I very much hope that The Society of Friends of the Airborne Museum do not mind me posting this; Details from "ROLL OF HONOUR BATTLE OF ARNHEM - 17-26 SEPTEMBER 1944" (3rd revised edition 1989). Please see attached images from same below (I have highlighted Private Hopwood's entry, please note that the "*" in the Roll of Honour is to denote the typo in this edition; it should be "one" and not "once". I have also circled the junction/crossroads on the map) Hope this helps folks, faithfully, always, Jim.
Do any of the para members on here know his unit of enlistment, the photo of him shows a non para cap badge [I think] TD
My eyes (like the rest of me!) are not what they used to be but it looks like Royal Artillery (will readily stand corrected) Jim.
And please note folks that I only discovered this internet entry/link after my initial posting. I was not being coy. Jim.
The photograph originally appeared in the German press, ex-prisoners of war attempted to contact the next-of-kin. Cheshire Observer 28th October 1944 The Sunday Post 27th May 1945 The Daily Mail Hull Tuesday 14th August 1945
It must be an early photo because in the beginning evey men did wear his own regimental capbadge. The Prachute wing capbadge didnt exist at that time...