A very good Great War Submarine Service Distinguished Service Medal and Royal Navy Long Service and Good Conduct Group issued to Stoker Petty Officer A.W. Hopton, Royal Navy who having seen Boer War service aboard the 3rd Class cruiser H.M.S. Barracouta, would be 1 of 262 men of the ship to earn the Queen’s South Africa Medal without clasp. Still serving at the time of the Great War, he would form part of the crew of the submarine E-35 commanded by later Captain Guy D’Oyly Hughes, DSO and bar, DSC who would be killed whilst commanding the aircraft carrier H.M.S. Glorious on 8th June 1940 off Norway. Hopton would receive the Distinguished Service Medal in the London Gazette of 29th October 1918 for his service aboard E-35 and would later die of illness contracted in the service at the Naval Hospital Haslar on 17th December 1921. His Long Service and Good Conduct Medal being issued to his widow on 16th June 1927.
Group of 5: Distinguished Service Medal, GVR, (294505 A.W. HOPTON, STO.P.O. H.M. SUBMARINES.) Queen’s South Africa Medal 1899-1902, no clasp; official correction to start to ‘HOP’ of surname; (A.W. HOPTON, STO. H.M.S BARRACOUTA.) British War Medal and Victory Medal; (294505 A.W. HOPTON. S.P.O. R.N.) Royal Navy Long Service and Good Conduct Medal, GVR, (294505 A.W. HOPTON. S.P.O. H.M.S BONAVENTURE)
Condition: Good Very Fine
Albert William Hopton was born in Brockworth, Gloucestershire on 7th May 1878 and joined on 13th January 1900 for an initial 12 years service. He would take part in the Boer War where he would serve with the 3rd Class Cruiser H.M.S. Barracouta, 1 of 262 men of the ship who earnt the Queen’s South Africa Medal without clasp. At this stage a Stoker, he would be promoted to Stoker 1st Class whilst with H.M.S. Hermione on 1st July 1906 and the Leading Stoker aboard H.M.S. Maidstone on 21st August 1912.
Serving throughout the Great War Hopton would serve initially with H.M.S. Vulcan, before being posted to H.M.S. Alecto where he served from 1st October 1914 until 7th November 1914 when he transferred to H.M.S. Forth where he remained until 4th March 1916, being advanced to Stoker Petty Officer on 1st February 1916.
Transferred to H.M.S. Maidstone on 5th March 1916, he would then join H.M.S. Dolphin on 10th April 1916, before returning to H.M.S. Maidstone on 23rd July 1916. He would then remain there until transferring to H.M.S. Vulcan on 1st April 1917 seeing service aboard the Submarine E-35, before E-35 was attached to H.M.S. Cormorant on 13th November 1917.
E-35 was commanded by later Captain Guy D’Oyly Hughes, a highly decorated submarine officer and later commander of the aircraft carrier H.M.S. Glorious, who would be awarded the Distinguished Service Order and Bar and Distinguished Service Cross before being killed in the loss of Glorious on 8th June 1940 off the coast of Norway. The Bar to his Distinguished Service Order being issued in relation to the sinking of the German U-Boat U-154 off Gibraltar on 11th May 1918 whilst commanding E-35.
Hopton would be posted back to H.M.S. Bonaventure, the submarine depot ship on 1st April 1918, before returning back to H.M.S. Dolphin on 28th October 1918, his Distinguished Service Medal being listed in the London Gazette on the following day, 29th October 1918..
He would then return ashore and would eventually die on 17th December 1921 in the Naval Hospital at Haslar having suffered from Chronic illnesses including Chronic Broncho Pneumonia.
Hopton’s Long Service and Good Conduct Medal would later be issued to his widow on 16th June 1927.
The recipient is additionally entitled to a 1914-1915 Star.
