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Remembrance

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Towards the west of Hook, on the green, beside the A30, stands Hook's War Memorial. To be precise, it's also the War Memorial for the parish of Newnham and Nately Scures, since when it was erected in 1920 the parish of Hook had not yet been created and parts of modern Hook fell within Newnham and Nately Scures parishes.

The memorial records those from Hook, Newnham and Nately Scures who gave their lives in the two world wars of the twentieth century. The inscription reads:-

A.D. 1920

THIS STONE OF REMEMBRANCE
WAS RAISED IN HONOUR OF THE MEN
OF THE PARISHES OF
NEWNHAM AND NATELY SCURES
WHO LAID DOWN THEIR LIVES
FOR THEIR COUNTRY
IN THE GREAT WAR

The War Memorial. Photo: Jane Bonnin

The form that the memorial should take was the subject of much local discussion. Local photographer William Froud, who ran the chemist's shop in the centre of Hook, was in favour of erecting a bandstand on the green (he was a keen member of the brass band, which practiced in the band hall, after which Bandhall Place was named). Other residents thought that the noise of the band might frighten the horses passing along London Road.

The memorial - the stone pillar which was finally chosen - was dedicated on July 11th 1920. It bears the names of twenty nine local men who fell in the great war.

Cover of the Order of Service for the dedication of the memorial - with thanks to Dennis Gary.

The Second World War panel.
Photo: Jane Bonnin

Following World War II, the names of the nine local men who were killed in action were added to the south side of the memorial. The other two sides remain, thankfully, blank.

The Royal British Legion organised Remembrance Day ceremonies at the memorial for many years, but these lapsed during the 1970s. They were revived during the mid 1980s and wreaths have been laid on Remembrance Sunday ever since. A service is also held in St John's Church.

The pictures below show the wreath laying, followed by a parade through the village by uniformed groups, that took place in 1985, the first Remembrance Sunday after the revival of the custom. The parade led off from the War Memorial following the wreath laying and finished at the Elizabeth Hall, where a service of remembrance was held. Parish Council Chairman David Burke laid a wreath on behalf of the people of Hook and took the salute in Station Road, alongside the Chairman of the Royal British Legion's Old Basing Branch.

Wreath Laying 1985. Photo: Kay Burke

Remembrance Day Parade 1985. Photo: Kay Burke

The 1985 ceremony and parade were repeated in 1986, this time augmented by the Royal British Legion Old Basing Branch Corps of Drums.

Wreath Laying 1986. Photo: Kay Burke

Remembrance Day Parade 1986. Photo: Kay Burke

The Unexploded Bomb

There is one group of men whose names do not appear on the War Memorial, although the people of Hook and the surrounding area owe them a great debt. They are the six young men from 48th Section of the 6th Royal Engineers Bomb Disposal Company who died on August 18th 1940, while attempting to defuse an unexploded bomb that had fallen on the railway line near Crown Lane, Newnham. They were under the direction of Lance Sergeant W.J. Button, who was severely wounded and was later awarded the George Cross for his actions that day.

Although they are not recorded on the Hook War Memorial, their names should appear on the memorials of their own home towns or villages. To commemorate them in Hook, a plaque has been erected at Hook Station, from where they left to walk down the line to the bomb.

Commemorative plaque at Hook Station. Photo: Jane Bonnin

Their names are also recorded here:-

2007432 Driver Fred. Gavid 22 years
2003661 Sapper Arthur Hill 20 years
1892327 Sapper Ralph R. E. Moxon 23 years
2003625 Sapper Douglas A. Vince 23 years
2004308 Sapper Fred. D. Warner 23 years
2005088 Sapper Arthur White 23 years

We are indebted to 25th Company Bomb Disposal Royal Engineers Re-enactment Group from Andover, who uncovered the story of this forgotten event in 2007.


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