136414 Sapper

WILLIAM HACKETT, VC.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BORN: 11^th June, 1873, Nottingham, the son of John and Harriet Hackett of Nottingham. Education during this time was expensive, and the family could not afford this, so he did not attend school and remained illiterate. He began work in a factory in his hometown of Nottingham but, at the age of eighteen, William walked to Denaby Main, finding work at the Colliery, where he was to remain for twenty-three years. During this time, on 16th April 1900, he married Alice Tooby at Conisbrough Parish Church, and the couple set up home  in one of the of tiny terraced houses owned by the Colliery at Denaby Main.

He stayed very close to his family in Nottingham, and spent the few days holiday he got with them.

The 1901 Census states that William was employed as a ‘Coal Miner’s Filler’ working at the Coal Face, filling tubs with coal, and living at 22, Cusworth Street, with his wife and Alice’s niece, Ursula A. Tooby, aged 5.

Later he moved, and went to work at Manvers Main Colliery as a Dataller, repairing and making roads or laying rail track, after nearly a quarter of a century, working at Denaby Main Colliery. It must have been at this time that the family moved to 49, Crossgate, Mexborough.

Here the family consisted of William, Alice, Arthur (son), Mary (daughter), plus Thomas & Sarah Tooby, William’s Parents-in-Law.

 

SERVED: 254^th Tunnelling Company, Royal Engineers.

 

William Hackett enlisted in the 254th Tunnelling Company, Corps of Royal Engineers, in October, 1915, after being rejected three times by the York and Lancaster Regiment for being too old at 43.

 

In January, 1916, he received some bad news from home.

During the run up to Christmas 1915, his fourteen-year-old son, Arthur, had left school and begun employment at Manvers Main Colliery. He had worked there for less than a month when a number of coal carrying trolleys came off the rails hitting him. Due to this, Arthur had to have his right leg amputated below the knee.

As he could not write, William had to find someone who was willing to write a letter back home for him, which Sapper Evans did in February, 1916. His wife received the following, “It is very hard to be in this foreign land and have a lad placed in hospital. I cannot help him but I know you will do all you can.”

 

DATE OF GAZETTE: 5^th August, 1916.

V.C. CITATION:

On 22nd and 23rd June, 1916, at the Shaftsbury Avenue Mine, Nr Givenchy. For most conspicuous bravery, when entombed with four others in a gallery owing to the explosion of an enemy mine. After working for 20 hours, a hole was made through fallen earth and broken timber, and the outside party was met. Sapper Hackett helped three of the men through the hole and could easily have followed, but refused to leave the fourth, who had been seriously injured saying,” I am a Tunneller, I must look after the others first.” Meantime the hole was getting smaller, yet he still refused to leave his injured comrade. Finally, the gallery collapsed, and though the rescue party worked desperately for four days, the attempt to reach the two men failed. Sapper Hackett, well knowing the nature of sliding earth and the chances against him, deliberately gave his life for his comrade.

Field-Marshall Sir Evelyn Wood VC, later wrote that this was,”The most divine-like act of self sacrifice.”

 

DIED: 27^th June, 1916. Official medal index roll states K.I.A.  27^th July, 1916.

A collection was instantly organised among his comrades, for the benefit of his bereaved wife and children. She wrote back thanking them, and informing them that the £67 they had raised would be used for her children’s’ education, and that Arthur, his son, was now attending Mexborough Secondary School (Mexborough Grammar School), and was taking additional tuition in order that he may gain employment in an office.

MEMORIALS:

The Nottingham & Nottinghamshire Victoria Cross Memorial, located in the grounds of Nottingham Castle, and unveiled 7^th May, 2010.

 

The Tunnellers Memorial, Givenchy-lès-la-Bassée, France. Unveiled 19^th June, 2010.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ploegsteert Memorial, Ploegsteert , Hainaut, Belgium.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mexborough’s William Hackett VC Memorial is now sited next to the Cenotaph, Castle Hills, Doncaster Road, Mexborough.

 

His VC was described as, 'the most deserving out of those awarded in the war,' by historian Peter Barton, who has written books about the conflict.

 

Mr Barton said about the Tunnellers Memorial Project, “This has been a five-year-long project, and the amount of support we have had has been amazing.

The memorial is to honour the Tunnellers, and in particular Sapper Hackett,

who fought a war underground that not many people are aware of.

His VC medal was the most deserved. That is not to discredit the others, but his actions were of the most noble kind.”