Major James Parker Hooper, MC, was born in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, on February 21, 1888. Prior to WWI Hooper worked as an accountant, as well as serving for fifteen years in the Canadian Militia with the 82nd Regiment (Abegweit Light Infantry) and 4th Regiment Canadian Garrison Artillery. 

He enlisted with the 98th Canadian Siege Battery (C.S.B.) in Charlottetown, P.E.I., on September 23, 1915. Shipping for England on the S.S. Lapland in late November of 1915, Hooper proceeded to France with the 98th C.S.B. in May of 1916. He was awarded the Military Cross (MC) on January 1, 1917. Following his return to Canada Hooper was demobilized May 18, 1919.

The Hooper Collection shares with the Gunner Walter James Lantz Collection the memorial album created by Hooper for Lantz’s parents following the death of their son on July 12, 1916. When the Lantz collection was originally posted, the author of the memorial album was unknown, as Hooper had signed only with his initials “J.P.H.” Recent research has identified “J.P.H.” as James Parker Hooper and the Hooper collection has been added in recognition of his role in the creation of this remarkable album chronicling the 98th C.S.B. soldiers working in the observation posts at the front-line trenches in and around the Somme/Mametz region of France. The photographs were taken by Hooper and Lantz in the days and weeks immediately preceding Lantz’s death in July of 1916.

The photo album can also be viewed on Gunner Walter James Lantz’s WWI Collection page, along with information on other identified members of the 98th C.S.B. who appear in the album’s photographs.

External links:
Major Hooper’s service record (Serv/Reg# not assigned*) can be viewed/downloaded in pdf format through Library and Archives Canada.

Hooper’s Military Cross award was published in The London Gazette on January 1, 1917 (#29886, p. 45).

*[WWI officers were not routinely assigned Service/Regimental #s]