William Reginald Hipwell

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William Reginald Hipwell (died 1966) was a journalist and political candidate who championed soldiers’ welfare. He was born in Olney, Buckinghamshire, and attended Rugby School. He led the Horse-Brass Society and founded and edited Reveille, a newspaper for service personnel. During World War II he stood in four parliamentary by-elections as an Independent Progressive, while major parties kept a wartime electoral truce. He campaigned for higher pay for servicemen and their dependents and for better conditions. He admired some Conservative ideas but also supported aspects of Labour and Liberal platforms. He helped independent candidate William Brown in the 1942 Rugby by-election. In 1945 he ran in Eastbourne as an Independent National, finished fourth, and did not seek Parliament again.