Name
Harry Clifford Hook
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
01/03/1918
24
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
17787
Bedfordshire Regiment
6th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
BEDFORD HOUSE CEMETERY
Enclosure No.2 I. F. 6.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
THERE IS A LINK DEATH CANNOT SEVER LOVE AND REMEMBRANCE LAST FOR EVER - MOTHER
UK & Other Memorials
Abbots Langley Village Memorial, Leavesden Green Village Memorial, Leavesden Asylum/Hospital War Memorial, Leavesden
Biography
Son of John and Jane (nee STACEY) HOOK; husband of Mary (nee SPITTLES) HOOK of Watford.
His parents married 13 July 1878 at St Jude’s, East Brixton, London. John died 1920 in the Hollingbourne, Kent, district aged 65; Jane died 1930 in Northfleet, Kent, aged 76, and was buried 9 September in Northfleet Municipal Cemetery.
Henry Clifford was born in the spring of 1892 in Sevenoaks, Kent and was christened as such on 21 August 1892, but he was known as Harry throughout his life.
In 1901 he was living with his parents John and Jane Hook (nee Stacey) at “The Stables” at “Edenhurst” in Sevenoaks together with elder brother John. His father was employed as a Coachman Domestic at “Edenhurst”. Harry was the youngest of five children – three sons, Percy H (born 1884), John J (born 1887) and two daughters, Margaret E (born 1880) and Gladys (born 1889).
On the 1911 Census, a baker’s assistant aged 18, he was a boarder in Watford.
Harry enlisted early in the War as Private 17787 in the Bedfordshire Regiment and on 12th December 1914 the Hertfordshire Advertiser listed him in the Leavesden Asylum Roll of Honour. The Roll listed the men from the Asylum that had joined up at the outset of the War. It is not known when Harry came to Abbots Langley or when he became employed by the Asylum as a Kitchen Man.
In April 1915 the Abbots Langley Parish Magazine Roll of Honour listed him serving with the 3rd (Reserve ) Battalion of the Bedfordshire Regiment, which was based at Bedford and provided recruits with initial training.
On 10th April 1915 Harry married Mary Spittles, and the couple lived at 4 Lorwain (Louvain) Way, Garston Lane. Watford.
Harry was recorded in the Parish Roll of Honour serving with the 2nd Battalion of the Bedfordshire’s and it is not known when he transferred to that unit, but his Medal Record Card indicates 2nd Battalion and that he went to France on 8 Jun 1915. At some time later he was transferred to 6th (Service) Battalion.
The 6th Bedfordshire’s moved into the Front Line trenches at the Menin Road, to the east of Ypres on 26th February 1918. The battalion was reinforced the next day (2 Officers), and on 28th February one man was killed and six more wounded when the German artillery was described as “lively” in the battalion’s War Diary. As no casualties were listed for 1st March, it is presumed that Harry Hook was one of the six wounded men from 28th February and died of his wounds the next day, the 1st March at 50 Field Ambulance. Harry’s death was recorded in the April 1918 edition of the Abbots Langley Parish Magazine “We deeply regret to have to add the name of Henry Clifford Hook to those who have made the supreme sacrifice. He died of wounds received in action on March 1st. He was an Attendant in Leavesden Asylum, and served with the forces since the outbreak of War. He was married at Abbots Langley Church just three years ago, and leaves his wife, to whom we offer sincere sympathy, to mourn his loss.”
Harry Hook was buried at Bedford House Cemetery, south of Ypres in Belgium, and was commemorated on the Abbots Langley and Leavesden War Memorials. He was recorded in the Parish Roll of Honour serving with the 2nd Battalion of the Bedfordshire’s and not 6th Battalions as in other records.
Additional Information
War Gratuity of £15 and arrears of £9 2s 210d was paid to his widow. There is an article about and a Death announcement for Harry in the West Herts and Watford Observer dated 30 March 1918.
Acknowledgments
Neil Cooper
Roger Yapp - www.backtothefront.org, Sue Carter (Research) and Watford Museum (ROH online via www.ourwatfordhistory.org.uk)
