The Soldier's Details

We unfortunately have no knowledge of William’s life in England, other than his parents were Samuel Hood who died 1930 and his mother Louisa de Torrre Hopton who died 1946 – there were about 5 siblings.

Bill Hood was 7 years in Kings Royal Irish Hussars. He would have been too young to serve  in WW1.

His older brother Lewis Reginald Hood enlisted with WW1.  He enlisted in October 1908 with Royal Marines as a boy drummer until he turned 18 years, then transferred to Royal Marines Light Infantry.

 

His ship HMS ‘Hawke’ was sunk by a U-boat off the coast off north east coast Scotland on 15 Oct 1914.

“One of Hawke’s boats, with 49 survivors, was found by the Norwegian merchantman Modesta, but there was no sign of the other one, which was probably crushed by Hawke as she capsized. Another 22 men on a raft were rescued by the fast flotilla leader HMS Swift.  U17 fired a torpedo at her as she headed to Scapa, but it missed thanks to Swift’s high speed. One of the men rescued died the next day, making a total of 70 saved and 524 lost, including Lewis Hood.”

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Bill Hood came to Fremantle in 1926 on ‘Borda’ aged 25 years.  His occupation was recorded as woodworking machinist.

Above:  Cecil Whetstone is bridesmaid at her brother’s wedding 1926.

In 1931 Bill married Cecil Mary Whetstone. When Bill Hood enlisted he and Cecile were residing in Carlisle and he was working as contractor.

Bill enlisted AIF 6 Aug 1940.  He later joined 2/4th’s Headquarters Company No. 3 Platoon Administrative as a clerk and Corporal under Quartermasters Capt Phelps and Capt Bernie O’Sullivan.

Following the fighting at Singapore, Bill was taken POW.

 

 

Jean married Robert Graham Dixon in 1959.

She died 5 Sep 2010 Booragoon aged 79 years, cremated Fremantle Cemetery.

 

In 1949 Bill and Cecil were living in Carlisle, Bill had returned to work contracting.

In 1963 Bill was residing alone Rivervale and working as a clerk.

After the war Bill Hood was recorded living at 10 Sanderson Street, Embleton in 1968 and 1972.

In 1964 Cecile died at Rivervale.

Bill died  at Mt Lawley 17 April 1985 aged 84 years.  Both he and Cecile were buried at Karrakatta in the Whetsone family plot.

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With A Force Burma, Green Force No. 3 Battalion he was recorded at Victoria Point Camp Hospital 29/6/1942, To Ye, to Tavoy, to  4.8 k, to Thetkaw 14 k, to 75 k, 55 k hospital with ulcer 1/7/1943 to Sept 1943, then to Tamarkan in Thailand and finally Nacompaton 30/8/1945.

Please read about Bill being at 55km Khonkan Hospital camp with an ulcer which Bertie Coates successfully operated on.  Bill became an orderly helping Coates and his team with operating on ulcers.

At the end of the war Bill Hood was recovered from Thailand.

Read further about Bill’s record of Khonkan Hospital Camp, Burma.

Bill passed away on 17 April 1985.