Name
Arthur Hawkins
27/05/1889
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
19/04/1916
26
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
14349
Bedfordshire Regiment
8th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL
Panel 31 and 33.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
He has no Headstone. He is commemorated on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial.
UK & Other Memorials
St John the Baptist Church Memorial, Aldenham, St John the Baptist church Roll of Honour, Aldenham, Letchmore Heath Village Memorial, Memorial on Letchmore Cottages, Grange Ln. Letchmore Heath*1
Pre War
Arthur William Hawkins was born on 27th May 1889, in Letchmore Heath, Herts, son of Henry William (a Domestic Gardener) and Hannah Eleanor Hawkins.
He was Baptised in the Parish Church, Aldenham, on 23rd June 1889.
1891 Census records Arthur aged 1, living with his parents and 2-week-old brother Edward in, Hills Cottages, Letchmore Heath. His father Henry died in 1898, aged 32.
1901 Census records Arthur aged 11, living with his widowed mother and brothers Edward (10) and Ernest (7) in Letchmore Heath.
By 1911 Arthur had left home and was working as a Bakers Roundsman, boarding with his employer, Baker, Mrs. Hampton, and her family at, 195, Sparrows Hern, Bushey, Herts.
Wartime Service
Arthur enlisted at Watford, Herts, posted to the Bedfordshire Regiment with the service number 14349.
On the night of 19th/20th April 1916, Arthur was with his Battalion in trenches around Ijser Canal Bank near Leper. The trenches were under heavy bombardment for 2 hours, then the Germans attacked and gained a footing in part of the trenches, it is believed this is when Arthur was killed.
He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Leper, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium.
Additional Information
His mother Hannah was awarded a dependents pension of 5/- a week from 6th November 1918. She also received a War Gratuity of £7. His Pay Owing was £6-8s-7d. £5-10s-3d, went to his mother Hannah and 18/4 went to his brother Ernest.
*1 This memorials reads:
LEST WE FORGET ARTHUR HAWKINS LEFT THIS HOUSE SEPT 1914
TO FIGHT FOR HIS KING AND COUNTRY AND FELL IN ACTION IN FRANCE APRIL 19TH 1916 AGED 26 YEARS
TO FIGHT FOR HIS KING AND COUNTRY AND FELL IN ACTION IN FRANCE APRIL 19TH 1916 AGED 26 YEARS
Acknowledgments
Stuart Osborne
