Captain William Hopewell

Background

Background: William Hopewell was born in London into a military family in March 1900. William’s father Malcolm had served in the Kent Regiment of foot and his grandfather William with the Household Cavalry. With this background, a career in the military was inevitable and William enlisted in the Royal Marines at the age of 16.

He excelled as a cadet and went to war in France not long after his 17th birthday having been promoted to Lance Corporal. On the 23rd of April 1918, William was involved in the ill-fated Zeebrugge Raid intended to blockade the port of Zeebrugge and protect British naval activities in the English Channel and North Sea. The raid went badly wrong with the Marines, tasked with capturing German shore based artillery batteries, taking heavy losses. During the action, William’s platoon came under heavy fire. William was wounded and his officer killed. Despite being one of the younger soldiers in the platoon, and injured, he led a small group of marines to capture one of the batteries, preventing further fire on the ships and soldiers and saving many lives. William then led what was left of his men to safety by stealing a small boat and rowing, under fire, back to the ship which had brought them there.

He was decorated with the Conspicuous Gallantry Medal for his actions.

After the raid, William was hospitalised and the war was over by the time he had made a full recovery. During his convalescence, William met Charles Cofton, an officer who had suffered terrible injuries in an accident with an artillery shell. Despite the fact that Charles was officer and William was an enlisted man, the two struck up a friendship which has lasted.

William elected to stay with the Marines after the war and was nominated for the officer training cadre. Again, he excelled in training and passed out as a 2nd Lieutenant in 1920. William went on to serve with the Royal Marines in all theatres until November of 1937 when, after 21 years of service, he retired with the rank of Captain.

Having been in the military for all of his adult life, William did not adapt well to civilian life. He has squandered most of his savings and until recently had struggled to find work. In January of 1938 William was contacted by a Naval officer called Duncan McCoughie. McCoughie offered William a job, the chance to serve again, William accepted without hesitation. Now he carries out clandestine operations for the government under the direction of McCoughie, he still doesn’t know what McCoughie’s rank is.

Special Abilities

• Languages Known: Swahili (d6), German (d6), French (d6), English (native, d8)

Advances

• Edge: Common Bond
• Edge: Trademark Weapon (Browning Hi-Power)
• Edge: Quick

• Edge: Double Tap