Name
William Stanley Hawkes
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
12/04/1917
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
14455
Bedfordshire Regiment
6th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
ARRAS MEMORIAL
Bay 5
France
Headstone Inscription
No Report
UK & Other Memorials
St Albans Citizens Memorial, Town Hall (old) Memorial, St Albans, St Michael's Church Memorial, St Albans, Harpenden Town Memorial, Church of St Nicholas Memorial, Harpenden, Not on the Sandridge memorials
Pre War
William Stanley was born in 1892 in Sandridge, St Albans to William John Hawkes, a painter & Decorator, and Mary Ann (nee North).
On the 1901 Census the family were living at Maple Cottages, Harpenden. William Stanley was employed by Mr J.B. Joel of Childwickbury. He gave an address of Childwick Green, St Albans.
Wartime Service
William enlisted as private 14455 in Bedfordshire Regiment. He went join 6th Battalion in France on 11 Oct 1915.
He would probably have taken part in battles of the Somme (Albert, Bazentin and Pozieres) and Arras in April 1917.
His date of death is variously reported between 9 Apr and 12 Apr. This may be because he was reported Missing and later presumed dead. His battalion were involved in the Battle of the Scarpe and capture of Monchy-le-Preux at this time.
He is remembered on the Arras Memorial.
Additional Information
No detail - CWGC shows DoD as 12/4/1917War Gratuity of £12 and arrears of 11 6s 10d paid to father.
Acknowledgments
Neil Cooper
Gareth Hughes, Mary Skinner, Harpenden & District Local History Society (www.harpenden-history.org.uk)
