Today | News | Books | Recipes Adventure | Science Fiction | Ghost stories | Poetry | Children | History Book1th Middlesex, 22 Aug. 1914; went to the Front, 31 May, 1915, and died 24 July, 1915, of wounds received at Armentières on the same day; _unm._ At School and College he had a good athletic record and was captain of his College Hockey Team and played hockey for the University. [Illustration: =Harold George Hawkins.=] =HAWKINS, LEONARD=, Corpl., No. 614, 5th Battn. (The London Rifle Brigade) The London Regt. (T.F.), 3rd _s._ of Samuel James Hawkins, of 109, Whipps Cross Road, Leytonstone, Printer, by his wife, Lizzie, dau. of the late Thomas Hunt; _b._ Walthamstow, co. Essex, 13 Jan. 1891; educ. Newport Road Council School, Leyton, and the Worshipful Company of Carpenters School, Stratford; was an Accountant's Clerk; enlisted early in Sept. 1914, after the outbreak of war; promoted Corpl., Feb. 1915; went out to France with a draft, 14 March, and was killed in action at Wieltje, during the Second Battle of Ypres, 13 May, 1915; _unm._ He was buried near the front trenches at Wieltje. Letters speak of his having "done extremely well" and having "died fighting bravely." =HAWKINS, LIONEL HOPE=, Lieut., 1st, attd. 6th, Dragoon Guards, only _s._ of Isaac Thomas Hawkins, of 90, Drayton Gardens, S.W., C.E., late Colonial Civil Service, by his wife, Mary Hope, yst. dau. of Richard Butterworth, of Lancaster; _b._ Chichester, 28 July, 1886; educ. Waynfleet; Winchester, and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, and was gazetted 2nd Lieut. 1st Dragoon Guards, 2 Feb. 1907, going to India with his regt. the following Nov., and was promoted Lieut., 18 Feb. 1908. He passed his Captain's examination in Oct. 1912, and did good work with the signalling, having charge of a brigade for two years. Being in England on leave when war broke out, he volunteered and was attached to the 6th Dragoon Guards, and went to France, 15 Aug. 1914. He served through the retreat from Mons, the Battles of the Marne and the Aisne, and was killed in action on the night of 31 Oct.-1 Nov., when the Germans broke through our lines between Messines and Wytschaete in the 1st Battle of Ypres. The two forces had got mixed up, and Lieut. Hawkins observing a party approaching the trench which he held with his troop, got out of the trench and went forward. According to a statement made by a brother officer they shouted "Don't fire! We are the London Scottish!" and he therefore continued to go forward. He had not gone more than 30 yards when he fell, shot through the right side. Two of his men immediately went out and brought him back to the trench, and he was carried back by his own men and the London Scottish towards Kemmel, but died shortly afterwards; _unm._ His Adjutant, Capt. P.M.A. Kerans, wrote: "Your son, of whom we had all grown very fond, was killed in an attack by the Germans in a line between Messines and Wytschaete in Southern Belgium on the night of 31 Oct. and 1 Nov. It appears that after the enemy had penetrated our line a party was observed by your son approaching the trench which he held with his troop. He ordered fire to open on them, but they shouted 'Don't fire, we are the Scottish' and he ordered his men to cease fire; himself, bravely, but incautiously, got out of his trench and went towards them. He had gone about 30 yards when the Germans--for it was the Germans and not the London Scottish--opened fire and your son was seen to fall. Two men at once went out and brought him back to the trench. He was seen to be badly wounded in the right side and he was carried back by our men and the London Scottish towards Kemmel. On reaching a place of comparative safety two of the men went off to try and find a stretcher and two remained with your son who died very shortly afterwards. He had been unconscious from a few minutes after he had been hit and passed quietly away. The men were unable to bury him then and were obliged to leave him covered with a blanket at the edge of a wood, where I have no doubt, he has since been buried, but as, unfortunately, the Germans now hold the piece of ground, it has not been possible to do what would otherwise have been done. You have lost a gallant son and we a brave and well-beloved comrade who showed military qualities of a high order"; and Major S. W. Webster: "The farm we held was rushed by the Germans about midnight on 31 Oct. I at once went to the trench in which your son was. We retired from there to some reserve trenches about 200 yards in rear. I was there with him for about half an hour, I then left him to go and see a troop who were holding a trench on his right. After I had gone I believe he went forward a little to see if they really were Germans, as he seemed to think they were our own troops--it was pitch dark at the time. He was shot through the body, and some of my own men carried him back. He died when they had carried him about ½ mile to the rear. My man, Private Willings, then left the body under a fence. It was impossible to recover the body or even the wounded, as we had to evacuate the position at dawn. I am perfectly certain from what the men told me, that your son died within half an hour of his wound. It must seem strange to you, that we could not recover the body, but we were fighting for our lives through the night, in the pitch dark, over a front of at least half a mile. Three of our own officers and many men were left behind, and we do not even know if they are dead or prisoners." Col. I. Annesley also wrote (12 Dec.): "Had your son lived it would not have been long before he earned great distinction, for he was very brave and a fine leader of men. On the night of the poor fellow's death there were so many heroic actions on the part of my officers and men that it was impossible to pick out anyone in particular as being better than his fellows. As I say, had your son lived I should certainly have sent his name in for consideration at a later period for his splendid work as a troop leader from the beginning of hostilities, and I have written to this effect to the Brigadier General Commanding the 4th Cavalry Brigade, as I now hold a Staff appointment"; and Brigadier-General the Hon. Cecil Bingham, 4th Cavalry Brigade: "I only met your son, Lionel, when he became attached to the 6th Dragoon Guards, but I got to know him pretty well, and my regard for him grew as we got to know each other. During the retirement, and subsequently, he had several difficult patrols to carry out, and he always did his part with conspicuous success. He was a very brave man, and was careful of the lives of his men. On the night of his death, he, in company with many others, performed acts which redounded to their everlasting credit, but you will understand that all cannot be rewarded, the number was limited to two per unit, and a selection made from the reports." In India he was known as one of the finest polo players, and was in the winning team of many tournaments, and besides was a good all-round sportsman. He played cricket for his school, won the steeplechase |