A 'Hawick' Jock's 'Spring Offensive' Prisoner of War Great War medal pair: Private George Hook, 'A' Coy 6/7th Bn Gordon Highlanders (Territorial Force), late 6th (Banff & Donside) Bn Gordon Highlanders (Territorial Force), 51st Highland Division

- British War Medal. Silver issue (S-15115 Pte. G. Hook. Gordons.)
- Interallied Victory Medal (S-15115 Pte. G. Hook. Gordons.)

Important: Private George Hook is confirmed being captured on, 12 April 1918, during the German 'Spring Offensive', and subsequently held in Germany as a Prisoner of War prior to being repatriated home sometime after the 'Armistice' of 11 November 1918

Note: The Great War campaign medals verified as the recipients full medal entitlement for the Great War per the respective campaign medal roll of the Gordon Highlanders (ref WO 329/1656) that was compiled and signed at, Perth, Scotland, on, 27 May 1920

Quote (Hawick News and Border Chronicle issue of 4 May 1918);

Pte. Geo. Hook,
Gordon Highlanders, who was officially reported missing, has now written home stating that he is a prisoner of war, at Limburg, Germany. Enlisting in July 1916, prior to which he was in the employment of Messers Turner, Rutherford, & Co. hoisery manufacturers he is a son of Mr George Hook, gas works foreman, Gas Works Cottage, Hawick

Unquote.

Interestingly, another local newspaper ran with an earlier news paper article pertaining to George Hook - a miscreant - who was punished with a fine and a stern dressing down for 'laddish' behaviour, when together with a 'pal' he had desecrated a local 'war' memorial - this all prior to his enlisting in the British Army.

Quote (Hawick Express issue of 28 July 1916);

Thoughtless Conduct by Young Lads

At Hawick Police Court on Saturday, Baillie Lyon on the bench, John Tierney, hosiery worker, Weenland Terrace, and George Hook, hosiery worker, Gasworks Cottage, Mansfield Road, were charged with having, on 13th July, maliciously damaged a floral wreath placed on the equestrian statue in Central Square, by removing a quantity of violets therefrom. Both the accused pleaded guilty.

The Prosecutor stated that his information was that the two accused left the works in which they were employed between three and four o'clock on Thursday morning, 13th July, and went along the street as far as the Tower Knowe, and then back again towards the statue. They were looking at the wreath, and they both removed some violets from it. One of them threw the violets into the Teviot, and the other one took them home. One would have thought that the purpose for which those wreaths had been put on the monument would have been sufficient to protect them from any danger of being interfered with. Once could hardly think that any Hawick people would have touched them, and such conduct could not be tolerated.

The Baillie - What was your motive in doing it? Did you ever think that wreath had been placed there in memory of men who had died for you?

Tierney - Not at the time

The Baillie - Then what was your motive for taking them?

Hook - I took mine as a slight remembrance, to put them in a book and press them.

The Baillie - There's some person committed even a worse offence, and that was to steal the ribbon from another wreath. You should have thought of the purpose for which the wreath was placed there. Under the circumstances I wont dismiss you with an admonition, as I might have done, as I think this was little short of sacrilege. I must mark my displeasure at your conduct by fining you 7/6 or five days each.

Hook said he was not working, as he would be leaving for the Army on Monday.

The Baillie - I do hope you will bear in mind never to commit such an act again. It's far worse than the ordinary form of mischief.

Unquote

George Hook, son of George Hook (Corn Miller) and Elizabeth Hook (nee) was a native of, Hawick, Roxburghshire, Scotland, where he had been born in 1898. In the 1901 National Census for Scotland, George is recorded as a three year old, living at home with his parents and 3 x siblings, vis brother John Hook (b.1890) & sisters, Jeanie Hook (b. 1893) & Elizabeth Hook (b. 1901). Prior to enlisting in in the British Army in 1916, George had been employed at Hawick as a . George Hook enlisted for the British Army in 1916, and was posted to the Gordon Highlanders, joining the 6th (Banff and Donside) Battalion Gordon Highlanders (Territorial Force), with which unit he served in France under higher formation, 51st Highland Division. He was captured on 12 April 1918, during the German 'Spring Offensive' and subsequently interred in a Prisoner of War camp located in Limburg, Germany. After repatriation and return to the United Kingdom, George is recorded as being employed at Hawick as a 'Cleaner' with the London & North Eastern Railway

The medals fitted with long lengths of original, silk 'moire' ribands

Condition: Toned EF

Code: 20962