Alfred Henry Hook
Private, 2nd Battalion, 24th Regiment. (Later South Wales Borderers)
- Register No.
- 592 (Alf's numbering, from The Register of the Victoria Cross, 1997)
- Rank
- Private all Privates →
- Unit
- 2nd Battalion, 24th Regiment. (Later South Wales Borderers) (register: 24th Regiment of Foot) all 24th Regiment of Foot VCs →
- Date of action
- 22–23 January 1879 on this day → all of 1879 →
- Conflict / campaign
- Zulu War (Anglo-Zulu War)
- London Gazette
- 2nd May 1879 on this day → all of 1879 →
- Born
- 6th August 1850 at grave in St. Andrew's Church Yard,
- Died
- 12th March 1905 from pulmonary tuberculosis at Osborne
- Memorial / grave
- at St Andrews Church, Churcham, Gloucestershire and the Havard Chapel, Brecon Cathedral, Wales
Digest of citation
On 22nd and 23rd of January 1879 at Rorke's Drift, Natal, South Africa, a distant room of the hospital had been held for more than an hour by three privates, and when finally they had no ammunition left the Zulus burst in and killed one of the men and two patients. One of the men, Private J.Williams (Reg No.1313)however succeeded in making a hole in the wall large enough to get through,and taking the last two patients into the next ward, where he found Private Hook. Working together; the two men, one holding the Zulus at a distance with his bayonet, while the other managed to knock through three more partitions; and they were able to bring eight patients into the inner line of defence
From Alf Askin's research notes
Reproduced as Alf wrote it, c. 2000–2005. Spelling and abbreviations are his own.
HOOK, Alfred Henry. (reg.No.592).
Private. 2nd Battalion, 24th Regiment. (Later South Wales Borderers)
London Gazetted on 2nd May 1879.
Born on 6th August 1850 at grave in St. Andrew's Church Yard, Churcham, Gloucestershire.
Died on 12th March 1905 from pulmonary tuberculosis at Osborne Villas, Roseberry Ave.Gloucester.
Memorials on grave at St Andrews Church, Churcham, Gloucestershire and the Havard Chapel, Brecon Cathedral, Wales.
Digest of Citation reads: On 22nd and 23rd of January 1879 at Rorke's Drift, Natal, South Africa, a distant room of the hospital had been held for more than an hour by three privates, and when finally they had no ammunition left the Zulus burst in and killed one of the men and two patients. One of the men, Private J.Williams (Reg No.1313)however succeeded in making a hole in the wall large enough to get through,and taking the last two patients into the next ward, where he found Private Hook. Working together; the two men, one holding the Zulus at a distance with his bayonet, while the other managed to knock through three more partitions; and they were able to bring eight patients into the inner line of defence.
Additional information: No. 1373 Private Alfred H. Hook was born at Churcham in Gloucestireshire on the 6th August 1850. He served with the Monmouth Militia, for five years, before joining the 24th Regiment. He saw service in the Kaffir War of 1877-8 and also served in the Zulu War 1879 where he won the Victoria Cross at Rorke's Drift. He later served as a Sergeant in the 1st Volunteer Battalion of the Royal Fusiliers. He was also on the staff at the British Museum. His first wife believing he had been killed in South Africa went of with another man. He remarried in 1897 at Islington, London. His gravestone is a Cross mounted on a plinth surmounted with a laurel wreath, in the centre of which is engraved, the Victoria Cross.
Additional information
No. 1373 Private Alfred H. Hook was born at Churcham in Gloucestireshire on the 6th August 1850. He served with the Monmouth Militia, for five years, before joining the 24th Regiment. He saw service in the Kaffir War of 1877-8 and also served in the Zulu War 1879 where he won the Victoria Cross at Rorke's Drift. He later served as a Sergeant in the 1st Volunteer Battalion of the Royal Fusiliers. He was also on the staff at the British Museum. His first wife believing he had been killed in South Africa went of with another man. He remarried in 1897 at Islington, London. His gravestone is a Cross mounted on a plinth surmounted with a laurel wreath, in the centre of which is engraved, the Victoria Cross.
Churcham, Gloucestershire.
Villas, Roseberry Ave.Gloucester.
Visit the grave or memorial
Alf recorded the memorial as: at St Andrews Church, Churcham, Gloucestershire and the Havard Chapel, Brecon Cathedral, Wales
Map links open a search for the place name Alf recorded; please check opening times and exact locations before travelling. Many VC graves have since been restored by the Victoria Cross Trust.
Research this recipient further
Would you like to honour Alfred Henry Hook by sponsoring this page from £1 a month — in memory of someone, in your own name or for your company? Sponsor this page.