Name
Herbert Hawkins
1878
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
14/09/1914
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Serjeant
6578
Cameron Highlanders
1st Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 (Mons) Star (with Clasp & Roses), British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
LA FERTE-SOUS-JOUARRE MEMORIAL
France
Headstone Inscription
N/A
UK & Other Memorials
We are not aware of any Two Waters memorial
Pre War
Herbert Hawkins was born in 1878 in Two Waters, Boxmoor, Hemel Hempstead, Herts to George and Emma Hawkins. He was one of eight children.
On the 1881 Census, the family were living at Two Waters, Hemel Hempstead, where his father was working as a Coachman and his mother as a Card Worker.
By 1891 Herbert was living with his sister Nellie at the home of their grandparents, Stephen and Adelaide Wood at 2 New Road, Rickmansworth, Herts. His parents and five siblings were then living at 7 Ann's Place, St George Hanover Square, London. where his father was working as a Coachman (Domestic).
In 1901 his parents and siblings remained in London, but had moved to 39 Kinnerton Street, St George Hanover Square, where they also had six lodgers, all of whom were domestic servants.
His mother died in 1908.
By the time of the 1911 Census, Herbert had joined the army and was serving as a Corporal with the 2nd Battalion, Cameron Highlanders and stationed at Baird Barracks, Bangalore, India.
His father's address was later given as 50 Christchurch Street, Chelsea on pension records.
Wartime Service
Herbert was already a serving soldier and had risen to the rank of Sergeant at the outbreak of war. At some point he had transferred to the 1st Battalion, Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders, and they landed in France on 4 August 1914.
They would have been in action later the same month in the Battles of Mons and Le Cateau.
Herbert was killed in action the following month during the Battle of the Aisne. His death was presumed on or since 14 September 1914 and he has no known grave. His name is commemorated on the La Ferte-sous-Juarre Memorial, France.
Additional Information
His father George received a war gratuity of £10 and pay owing of £25 1s 10d.
Brother to Alick Hawkins of the Wiltshire Regiment, Reg. no. 10111, who died in 1917 and George Hawkins of the Wiltshire Regiment Reg. no. 10701 who died in 1914.
His father received a pension in respect of all three sons, but the amount of pension on record cards is not clear.
NOTE: There is a H Hawkins on the John Dickinson & Co Memorial to the workers at Aspley Mills, Aspley who served and died in the Great War. We do not believe him to be this man, but a 201227 Herbert Edward Bitchens Hawkins. This is because the Herbert Hawkins in this biography appears to have left the area by war time and because the memorial records their worker as serving in the Bedfordshire Regiment (H E B Hawkins did). Also H E B Hawkins is recorded in the SDITDW database as living in Aspley End when he enlisted.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
www.longlongtrail.co.uk
