RootsChat.Com
General => Armed Forces => World War One => Topic started by: Finley 1 on Wednesday 05 May 10 08:08 BST (UK)
-
I have just read the article regarding Sapper William Hackett of Nottingham - regarding his heroism and giving up his life to help another man named Thomas Collins..
Just in case any descendants pop onto Roots... I wanted to applaud him and hope that they are happy that he has at last been recognised.
God bless people like him.
xin
-
Was it on the net or in a newspaper. Any way you can copy it to here so if people do come on they can read the article too? I would be interested for a start since you havent said what he did....
-
Hello Dee. Didnt think I could copy it due to copyright.
but this is a link:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1272320/Bravest-soldier-WWI-gets-memorial-94-years-dying-UNDER-German-trench.html
and part of the heading
War tunneller who gave his life to stay with injured comrade will finally get fitting memorial
xin
-
He's remembered here, too:
http://www.tunnellersmemorial.com/
Bernard
-
I think its ok to copy as long as you give them the credit but having the link is even better... It is a great article and I agree with the comments on the bit underneath the actual article... He deserved to be honoured in that way. Lets hope some of the relatives contact you. That would be a really good ending. Have you put a copy on some of the ww1 forums as well such as www.1914-1918.net or if you google ww1 forums...
Dee
-
Thanks for that Dee.
good idea will see to it..
xin
-
googled and found this:
http://www.google.co.uk/#hl=en&source=hp&q=tunnellers+memorial&aq=f&aqi=g2&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=&fp=499ca7506f46e39e
lovely plenty of interest and postings... thank goodness
havent read them yet.
xin
-
http://www.google.co.uk/#hl=en&source=hp&q=tunnellers+memorial&aq=f&aqi=g2&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=&fp=499ca7506f46e39e
Another new site
Dee
-
Thats great...
xin
-
Hi xin, seven years later and new to rootschat and I see this post. My maiden name is Hackett and Sapper William Hackett is my 3x great uncle. My dad's brother traced the Hackett family tree many years ago and I believe that's when he became aware of Sapper Hackett. In fact my uncle went to France for the unveiling of the memorial. It was great to see all the tunnellers finally being commemorated.
-
I think he deserves to be known by his full title of William Hackett VC.
An act of selfless courage that cost him his life & it's right he should be remembered & commemorated.
-
How lovely to see a descendant - remember him. :) Fantastic.
Special people are far too often not recognised.
Yes JIM full title fully deserved. :)
xin
-
Excerpt from a personal diary:
Frantic dig to save our buried pals
Jun 22, 1916 Five of our Company buried in one of our mine galleries. We can speak to them through the air pipe and they are all alive. Working all day pumping air into them and pumping water out to keep them from being drowned.
Jun 23 Five still entombed. Working night and day to get them out.
Jun 24 Got out three of the five. One of others had ribs broken and could not crawl through. Other fellow offered to stop in with him until they could make hole bigger. Passed food to them. No sooner done that than there was another fall and they are again entombed.
Jun 25 Two fellows still entombed. Had to start a new gallery. It is a heart-breaking job. We cannot get any answer from them now.
Jun 26 Still trying but it is painfully slow. We can’t get any answer.
Jun 27 Abandoned all hope of getting chaps out and stopped rescue work. Condition of shaft was so bad as to endanger the lives of the men working down there.
-
:'(