Newcastle Journal 30th November 1915

Castell Hopkins was born on the 31st July 1889, at Naini Tal, North West Provinces, India. He was the second son of Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Harrie Innes Hopkins, of the Towers, Ryton-on-Tyne, late 2nd Scottish Rifles, now [was] commanding the 1st Tyneside Scottish Battalion, and his wife Helen Elizabeth, daughter of the late General Sir Thomas Edward Gordon, K.C.B., K.C.I.E., C.S.I.

Educated at Dunchurch Hall, and Fribourg, Germany. He was afterwards employed at his fathers shipping firm Messrs Weidner, Hopkins, and Company based at Newcastle. Located then at the Commercial Exchange Building.

* Before the war in 1913, he had received a commission from the 9th Battalion Durham Light Infantry.

On the outbreak of war he enlisted in the 9th Battalion Gordon Highlanders, as a private, and with his regiment left for the front May 1915.

He fell in action during the charge on Hill 70 at Loos on the 25th September 1915. He was unmarried. Age 27.

De Ruvigny Roll of Honour.

Newcastle Evening Chronicle Thursday, 28/10/1915 reported:- Second Son Lost by Colonel Innes Hopkins.

Mr C.B. I. [C.P.I.] Hopkins of the Gordon Highlanders, has been killed in action. Mr Hopkins is the son of Colonel Innes Hopkins of the Tyneside Scottish who has now lost two sons in the war. Mr Hopkins, prior to the war was in the office of his father's firm, Messrs Weidner Hopkins and Company, of Newcastle.

* Newcastle Journal Wednesday 18/02/1914.

Gazette Announcements.

Territorial Force. Supernumerary Second Lieutenant C.P.I. Hopkins is absorbed into the establishment.

Newcastle Journal Friday, 20/10/1915. Carried a report:- The Fate of Colonel Innes Hopkins second son.

It is greatly feared that our well known and esteemed citizen, Colonel C. H. Innes Hopkins, has experienced another loss in his family, as his second son, Castell Percy Innes Hopkins, has been missing since the 25th September. He was in the Gordon Highlanders, and that regiment was engaged in the heavy fighting on Hill 70 in Flanders. The officers of the regiment said he was last seen when they stormed that position, and since then, nothing more has been learned about him, and his parents have given up all hope, now that the War Office has notified them that he is missing.

This makes two sons that Colonel Innes Hopkins has lost since the beginning of the war besides his youngest brother, who as a captain in the Canadians, was shot while leading his men at Neuve Chapelle.

Mr Castell Percy Innes Hopkins, who was in his father's office in Newcastle, and attended the Newcastle Exchange, joined the Gordons, seeing that it was the regiment in which his grandfather, the late General Sir Thomas E. Gordon, K.C.B., K.C.I.E., C.S.I., was so intimately associated as also his uncle, Sir John Gordon.

The many friends of Colonel and Mrs Hopkins will sympathise very much with them in their loss, as they are another of the well-known northern families that through this war "have paid the price"

Newcastle Journal Tuesday 30/11/1915 carried this report:- Steamship Owners

Meeting of North of England Association. The monthly meeting of the North of England Steamships Owners' Association was held yesterday at 6 Sandhill, under the presidency of Mr R. Mason. There was also present Sir Walter Runciman, Bart., M.P., Messrs W. J. Noble, G. Redhead, J. J. Forster, F. Bell, T. Wigham, E. S. Scorfield, J. T. Lunn, R.M. Sutton, R. S. Dalgliesh, W. Dodds, A. Robinson, L. Macarthy, Arthur Scholefield J. Coull, J. Tally, Daniel Stephens, W. Dixon, T. H. Catcheside, T, Pratt, E.H. Newbigin.

Before the commencement of the ordinary business, the chairman (Mr R. Mason) said it was his melancholy duty again to make references to a great bereavement sustained by a member of the executive-Col. C. H. Innes Hopkins-whose son, Mr C. Percy Innes Hopkins, had been killed while serving with his regiment the Gordon Highlanders at the Western Front, this being the second son of Colonel Hopkins who has lost his life while serving his country. The secretary was instructed to convey to Col, and Mrs Hopkins the deep sympathy of the members in their great bereavement.

His elder brother, John Gordon Innes Hopkins, is now [1916] serving in the Naval Brigade, having travelled specially from Japan, where he was in the R.M.S.P. Co when war broke out to join the Navy as a Volunteer, and his younger brother Lieutenant Charles Randolph Innes Hopkins, 2nd Scottish Rifles, and his uncle, Captain James Randolph Innes Hopkins, Canadian Expeditionary Force, were both killed in action.

Castell Percy Innes Hopkins is remembered at Ryton on R33.01, R33.07, R33.08, R33.12 also in Newcastle on NUT043 and NUT052

Ryton War Memorial entry for C.P.I. Hopkins
The CWGC entry for Private Innes Hopkins