Description
Military Cross, GV, 1914-15 Star, British War Medal & Victory Medal, 2nd Lieutenant J.G. Hopwood, Liverpool Regiment.
1914-15 Impressed: “4798 Pte J.G. Hopwood. L’Pool R.”
British War & Victory pair impressed: “2. Lieut J.G. Hopwood”
Sticker mark on reverse of Victory Medal.
Military Cross was announced in the London Gazette of 16th September 1918 for his service as a 2nd Lieutenant with the Machine Gun Corps with the following citation:
“For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty in the organisation and placing in position of new guns, manned by reinforcements just sent out from the base. When close up to the enemy and under shell fire, he arranged the men into gun teams, and issued their guns and equipment, and placed them in position and this when he himself was exhausted by five days of continuous fighting and marching.
On one occasion, seeing some infantry in front of his gun positions short of ammunition, he took up a supply to them across a long stretch of open, under heavy enemy machine gun fire.”
John Gilbert Hopwood was born in Ormskirk, Lancashire during 1892. He became a Law Student and by the time of the war he was an Articled Clerk to P.C. Kelly when he signed up for the War effort as a Private in his local regiment the Kings Liverpool Regiment, 622 members of the Liverpool Law Society joined the forces during the War, only 14 of them earned a Gallantry award.
As an educated man he was likely on the track to a commission, becoming an officer on 25th July 1917.
He is noted on a list by Lt Col G.H. Powell, Commanding No 1 Machine Gun Corps written on 30th July 1917:
“The under mentioned cadets of No 2 Co., having been appointed temporary Commissions as 2nd Lieutenants, are struck off the strength of this battalion, as from 25th July 1917, and posted to the Machine Gun Corps, Infantry, Group “C”, Clipstone Camp, Mansfield, and are to report to the Commandant on the 9th August 1917.
He appears to have died aged only 42 on 15th March 1915 of Ryecroft, Moreton Road in Upton, Birkenhead.
