World War I Victoria Cross Recipient. Born in Nottingham, England, he served as a Sapper in the Royal Engineers, British Army. On June 23, 1916, at Givenchy-les-la-Bassee, France, after an explosion of an enemy mine, Sapper Hackett with four other men were entombed in a tunnel. 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. He said, "I must look after this other man first," with the hole getting smaller, 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. There was another explosion, and both were buried alive. For gallantry in giving his life to save a comrade, he was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross presented by King George V to his wife Alice at Buckingham Palace on November 26, 1916.
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Service No: 136414
Age: 43
Regiment/Service: Royal Engineers, 254th Tunnelling Coy.
Honors: V C
Son of the late John and Harriet Hackett, of Nottingham; husband of Alice Flinders (formerly Hackett), of 53, Cross Gate, Mexborough, Rotherham.
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Service No: 136414
Age: 43
Regiment/Service: Royal Engineers, 254th Tunnelling Coy.
Honors: V C
Son of the late John and Harriet Hackett, of Nottingham; husband of Alice Flinders (formerly Hackett), of 53, Cross Gate, Mexborough, Rotherham.
World War I Victoria Cross Recipient. Born in Nottingham, England, he served as a Sapper in the Royal Engineers, British Army. On June 23, 1916, at Givenchy-les-la-Bassee, France, after an explosion of an enemy mine, Sapper Hackett with four other men were entombed in a tunnel. 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. He said, "I must look after this other man first," with the hole getting smaller, 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. There was another explosion, and both were buried alive. For gallantry in giving his life to save a comrade, he was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross presented by King George V to his wife Alice at Buckingham Palace on November 26, 1916.
------
Service No: 136414
Age: 43
Regiment/Service: Royal Engineers, 254th Tunnelling Coy.
Honors: V C
Son of the late John and Harriet Hackett, of Nottingham; husband of Alice Flinders (formerly Hackett), of 53, Cross Gate, Mexborough, Rotherham.
------
Service No: 136414
Age: 43
Regiment/Service: Royal Engineers, 254th Tunnelling Coy.
Honors: V C
Son of the late John and Harriet Hackett, of Nottingham; husband of Alice Flinders (formerly Hackett), of 53, Cross Gate, Mexborough, Rotherham.
Bio by: John "J-Cat" Griffith
Inscription
ROYAL ENGINEERS
SAPPER
V.C. HACKETT W.
Gravesite Details
Final resting place unknown. Name listed on the Memorial
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