Born: 24 February 1896, Windhill
Died: 30 October 1917
Buried: Cemetery, Etaples
Address: 7 Mossman Street, Windhill
Parents: Harold Preston and Annie
Spouse:
Siblings: Annie Helena, Howard Stockdale, Jack
Occupation: Apprentice Printer
Organisations/clubs:
Military
Rank: Sgt
Medals/awards: Military Medal
Rolls of Honour: Christchurch, Windhill
Children:
Regiment: York and Lancs
Albert Preston Hipkin
Albert was born in Windhill in
February 1896 the son of Harold
Preston Hipkin and his wife Annie.
Harold had been born in Boston,
Lincolnshire and in 1911 was a
clerk at the labour exchange. The
couple, who had been married 18
years, had four of their six children
living.
Albert was among those called up
in first week of the war to 2nd WR
Field Ambulance, RAMC, and sent
to various units 'to maintain a
supply of pure water for the troops,
to render first aid and to supervise
the general sanitary arrangements'
On 9 November 1917, the Shipley
Times & Express reported: ‘Sgt A P
Hipkin, York and Lancs
Regt, died in France on
October 30th in the
presence of his parents,
Mr and Mrs H P Hipkin
of Leeds and formerly
of Shipley.
‘Sgt Hipkin went to the
Continent with the West
Riding Field
Ambulance. When at
the front he was
transferred to the Yorks and Lancs.
‘He has been out 2½ years, most of
the time being spent in the front
lines.
‘His chaplain spoke of him as one
of the most courageous of men and
said he extended help and
sympathy to all.
‘The Rev R Whincup, at
Windhill, in his sermon on
Sunday morning, spoke of
Sgt Hipkin in the same
strain. He had met the
deceased both in the parish
before the war and also at
the front.
‘The deceased’s officer
writes: “I greatly mourn his loss, he
had been my sergeant for very
nearly a year and I had the highest
opinion of him and his capability.
“His conduct under fire had always
been an example to all and he had
particularly distinguished himself
in a battle in which the battalion
took part on October 9th, only a
few days before he was wounded.
“Only today before I learned of his
death at the Base Hospital, news
had come to me that he had been
awarded the Military Medal for
which I had recommended him in
view of his very gallant conduct on
October 9th.
“His loss has been learned with
great sorrow by all officers and
men of the battalion amongs whom
he was highly thought of and
respected.”
‘Sgt Hipkin’s younger brother, Pte
Howard Hipkin, is in Palestine with
the London Yeomanry.’
