William Albert Hooker was born in 1895 in Finsbury. He was the third son and child of the eleven children of Henry Thomas Hooker (1873-1933) and Elizabeth Margaret Hooker née Clark (1873-1946). His birth was registered in the 4th quarter of 1895 in the Holborn registration district and his father was a blacksmith.
The 1901 census shows him living at 45 Baring Street, Hoxton, with his parents, four siblings and his paternal grandmother.
In the 1911 census he is recorded as an optical apprentice living at 74 Napier Street, Hoxton, with his parents and nine siblings.
At Finsbury he enlisted as a Rifleman in the 21st Battalion, King's Royal Rifle Corps, service number R/20769 and was attached to 'D' Company, 7th Battalion, Royal Rifle Corps when he was killed in action, aged 21 years, on 27 August 1917. His body was buried in Plot 2, Row B, Grave 3, in the Hooge Crater Cemetery. Menenstraat, 8902 Ieper, Belgium.
His army effects totalling £4-15s-5d were sent his father on 8 March 1918 and his £5-10s-0d war gratuity was sent to his father on 10 September 1919.
He was posthumously awarded the British War Medal 1914-1918 and the Victory Medal.
He is also commemorated on the Hooker family grave in the Islington and St Pancras Cemetery at 278 High Road, London, N2 9AG. The inscription would indicate that he had fought in the Battles at the Somme, Arras and Menin Road, Ypres.
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.
