William Hackett

Who was William Hackett?

William Hackett VC was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.

Hackett was born 11 June 1873 to John and Harriet Hackett of Nottingham; he worked as a miner for 23 years in the Nottingham and Yorkshire coalfields, and was married to Alice. Hackett enlisted in the 254th Tunnelling Company, Corps of Royal Engineers, in October 1915, after being rejected three times by the York and Lancaster Regiment for being too old. He was 43 years old, and a Sapper in British Army during the First World War when he performed a deed for which he was awarded the Victoria Cross on 22 June/23 June 1916 at Shaftesbury Avenue Mine, near Givenchy-lès-la-Bassée, France