Q & a

How do I find out about William Hooper’s military service in India?

Q William Hooper (born c1837) was my great great uncle. In 1909, he sent this photograph to my grandfather, together with a letter about the medals he was wearing, which he said were for the Indian Mutiny in 1857, good conduct and the Ashantee War of 1873–1874. When he died on the Isle of Wight in 1919, his obituary recorded him as late Sergeant Major 2nd West India Regiment. I think I’ve found his service records (number 1334), which also refer to earlier service with the 29th Regiment. However, I can find nothing for his service/medal with the regiment in India apart from a record for a William Hooper (number 1509) born in 1822. Where can I go from here?

Corinne Collinson

A The photograph shows a man wearing the 1873–1874 Ashantee War Medal as awarded to Sergeant Major Hooper, West India Regiment, and an Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal, mentioned in his service record. The other one is definitely the Indian Mutiny Medal.

William’s record on Findmypast (findmypast.co.uk) says that when he retired in 1877 he’d served nearly 13 years, joining the 22nd Foot in October 1864, then transferring to the 50th Foot, then the West Indian Regiment. It adds that, for pension purposes, he could count over six years’ former service in the 29th Regiment. It also notes that he’d enlisted under the name George Philpot (later discovered to be William Hooper). A man who enlists under a false name usually has something to conceal.

I turned to 29th Regiment’s musters at The National Archives (TNA) in Kew, which aren’t online, and worked backwards and forwards from the Mutiny. As well as William Hooper (1509) there’s a William Hooper (3587) born in Bisley, Stroud, Gloucestershire. Enlisting in September 1854, he bought himself out of the Army for £18 in March 1861 as a sergeant. Possibly this is connected to the marriage of a William Hooper in Stroud later that year. Why he then re-enlisted isn’t stated, nor the reason for the alias.

There’s a potential problem with the Indian Mutiny Medal. The musters show that he was in Burma virtually the whole Mutiny period and he isn’t on the medal roll (WO 100/36, free from discovery.nationalarchives. gov.uk/details/r/C3763800). Also, the medal in the photo has a clasp on the ribbon, but the 29th Regiment roll says quite definitely that no clasps at all were awarded. I can’t help but feel that he’s wearing a medal he’s not entitled to.

Phil T