William James Hopkins was born on 26 April 1905 in Stratford, Essex (now Greater London). He was a son of Edward Thomas Hopkins and Elizabeth Hopkins and his birth was registered in the 2nd quarter of 1905 in the West Ham Registration District, Essex (now Greater London). His father was a mason and he was baptised on 17 May 1905 at St Aidan's Church, Stratford.
When he joined the Royal Navy, aged 15 years on 26 February 1921, he gave his occupation as a hairdresser. His service number was P/J101323 and he was rated as a Boy II, joining . Promoted to Boy I on 9 October 1921 he was transferred to , the submarine training establishment. He was made an Ordinary Seaman on 26 April 1923, his eighteen birthday, when he signed on for 12 years service and became an Able Seaman on 13 December 1923.
On 4 December 1926 he married Elizabeth Margaret Roberts (1903-1973) at , Viaduct Street, Tower Hamlets, London. On the marriage register he is described as an Able Seaman and his wife as a dressmaker. Both their addresses were recorded as 292 Corfield Street, Bethnal Green, London. Their daughter, Iris Lilian E. Hopkins (1928-2002), was born on 12 December 1928 and her birth was registered in the Bethnal Green registration district. Electoral registers from 1929 to 1938 show him and his wife listed at 76 Corfield Street, Bethnal Green.
He left the Royal Navy after twelve years service and was placed in the Royal Fleet Reserve. He was appointed as a postman in the London Postal Region on 17 January 1938 and this was confirmed in the on 10 May 1938.
He was recalled to the Royal Navy when World War Two was imminent and was posted to . On 10 September 1939 he had been a 'lookout' who was relieved by another able seaman shortly before his submarine was from off , Rogaland, Norway and sank. This was the first submarine that was sunk during the war and the circumstances of the loss from friendly fire were withheld from the public for many years. Of the crew of 55, only two persons were rescued. He , aged 34 years, and as he has no known grave he is in Column 3, on Panel 33 of the , Clarence Esplanade, Southsea, Portsmouth, Southsea, PO5 3NT. When the England and Wales Register was compiled on 29 September 1939 it showed his wife and daughter residing at , Morden, Surrey.
He is shown as 'HOPKINS W.J.' on the Western Postal District war memorial at Mount Pleasant, London, WC1. He is also commemorated on of the , at , Camperdown Street, Dundee Harbour, Dundee, Tayside, DD1 3HZ, on the that incorrectly records him as dying on 11 September 1939 and on of the Post Office Fellowship of Remembrance's Book of Remembrance 1939-1949.
The following note appears (in 2024) on the :- 'Note: for some reason, 21 of the 53 crew lost with HMS Oxley are commemorated by the CWGC with a death date of 11 September 1939, Hopkins being one of them, but the submarine and her crew were lost in the evening of the 10th and his death date has been so corrected'. We too at 91³Ô¹ÏÍø have used 10 September 1939 as his date of death.
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.
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