Hilary HOOK

Commissioned Second Lieutenant on 27 Jan 1938, posted to Indian Army on 27 Nov 1939. Promoted Lieutenant on27 Apr 1940, Acting Captain on 1 Apr 1941, Temporary Captain on 12 Oct 1941, War Substantive Captain 22 May 1943, Captain 27 Jan 1946, Major 27 Jan 1951.                                                                      The above is curtesy of Jack Langley, Sydney, Australia.

Captain. Royal Deccan Horse, Indian Army. He was attached to the unit on New Guinea from 3 Feb 1944 to Unattached on 3 Mar 1944. This info curtesy of nominal roll from National Archives of Australia.

The photo and the following is curtesy of Matthew Broadbridge U.K.

Lieut-Col Hilary Hook

B. 26/9/17 in Farnham, Surrey. Educated Canford School & Royal Military College, Sandhurst. 2/Lt, Unattached List for the Indian Army (ULIA) 27/1/38, Attached in India to the 1st battalion, The Queens Regiment 1/4/1938 for a year (at this time all newly commissioned officers of the ULIA did a year on attachment to a British Army regiment in India before joining their Indian Army units.) From April to July 1939 he was on leave outside of India with a medical certificate (this means he was not fit for duty while he was on medical leave).

Confirmed 2/Lt, Indian Army 27/11/39 and posted to Royal Deccan Horse (RDH) (His autobiography states he joined the RDH in January 1938 – I think the first date is actually correct (it’s taken from the Indian Army List) as the RDH did not move to Mardan (which is where the RDH were to be stationed and he was to join) until at least October 1939.)

Lt 27/4/40, Acting Captain 1/4/41 - 30/6/41, Temporary Captain 12/10/41 - 15/6/42.

By April 1942 he was serving on the staff of 251st Indian Armoured Brigade based at Secunderabad

War Substantive Captain 22/5/43, Acting Major 22/3/43 – 21/5/43, Temporary Major 22/5/43 – 13/5/44, Temporary Major 5/8/44 - 22/10/44, Temporary Major 28/4/45 - 16/2/46,

Appointed to the staff of the Indian Armoured Corps Trade Training Centre as a Group commander on 22/4/46.

Captain 27/1/46. Temporary Major 21/3/46 - 31/3/48,

Transfers to the British Army and 7th Queens Own Hussars on 26/6/47.

Specially employed 23/10/49 – 2/4/54 with the Sudan Defence Force.

Temporary Major 21/6/50 - 26/1/51, Major 27/1/51.

Appointed Temporary Lt-Col & Local Colonel 12/8/61 – ? 1964?

Military Attaché to the Sudan at Khartoum 12/8/61 to 1964.

Retired Maj (Hon Lt-Col) 13/10/64. He retired to Kenya where he lived until 1984 when he returned to England.

Died 14th September 1990 in Warminster, Wiltshire.