WW1 FAMILY MEDAL GROUP KILLED IN ACTION GALLIPOLI & GASSED FRANCE HAWKINS ARMY

Description

Offered is a family set of WW1 service medals to two brothers. Private Walter Hawkins, 2^nd Battalion Royal Fusiliers, killed in action 28/6/1915 & Private Frederick Hawkins, 9^th Battalion Royal Fusiliers, gassed 23/8/1918.

Private Waler Hawkins medals consisting of: 1914 – 15 Star, impressed named 562 P^TE W.HAWKINS. R.FUS.; British War and Victory Medals, impressed named GS-562 PTE. W. HAWKINS. R.FUS. Comes with original War and Victory Medal issue document to next of kin. Comes with copies of M.I.C. medal rolls, soldier’s effects, war diary pages 26- 28 June 1915, Commonwealth War Graves certificate and extracts from History of The Royal Fusiliers in the Great War.

Private Frederick Hawkins medals consisting of: British War and Victory Medals set, impressed named 4160 PTE. F. HAWKINS. 12- LOND. R. Original period swing mounted as worn. Comes with copies: Service papers, M.I.C., medal roll, war diary 8/8/1918 & copy newspaper article.

Both medal groups are court mounted for display.

Walter Hawkins was born in 1885 in Lambeth, London, the 1901 census records him as living in Tooting with his family including Frederick his younger brother. His occupation being recorded as ‘paper hanger’. His records appear not to have survived the ‘Blitz’, but it would appear that he probably joined the 2^nd battalion Royal Fusiliers after the start of the war, as he has the G prefix on his service number.  G – Royal Fusiliers; General Service enlistment, WW1.

The 2^nd Battalion Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment) were stationed in in Calcutta at the outbreak of the war, returning to England in December 1914. They remained there until March 1915 when they sailed for Gallipoli landing there on the 25^th April.

The battalion took heavy casualties in the initial fighting (over ½ their strength on the 1^st day) and subsequent actions. Pte Hawkins landed on Gallipoli on the 9/6/1915. From the history of the Royal Fusiliers.

The four company organisation was dropped and the two companies fell under the command of Captain A. A. C. Taylor, of the Dublins. While in reserve they were joined by Major Julian Fisher, D.S.O., who brought with him a draft of 10 officers and 400 other ranks from England.

Captain P. N. Wilson, who was commanding the divisional cyclists, was allowed to re-join the battalion, and the unit was given ten days to reorganize. The new draft consisted of very young men who had not received much training.

None of the officers were Regulars, but men who had gathered from the ends of the earth to take their part in the war. When the battalion went back to the line once more, on June 23rd, they mustered 13 officers and 667 other ranks.

On the 28th the battalion again attacked, leading the brigade with three companies; and their advance, though successful, was dearly bought. They advanced about 1,000 yards, ” a magnificent sight, the men never losing their formation under a heavy artillery and rifle fire.” The ground had been carefully ranged and the bulk of the casualties were due to well-placed shrapnel. There were few from rifle fire; but in attempting to round off their achievement in the night the battalion became involved in hand-to-hand fighting. Few details of these encounters have been preserved ; but when the Fusiliers were relieved they were in the last stage of exhaustion. A twenty-four hours’ struggle in oppressive heat with hardly any water has its unforgettable terrors. The actual losses included nine officers : FitzClarence, Ayrton, Andrews killed ; Bulbeck, Freer and Harford wounded ; Gudgeon, Eustace and Willett missing. Of other ranks, 27 were killed, 175 wounded, and 57 missing. Not one of these officers had been with the battalion when it landed in Gallipoli, and the continuity was preserved by an ever-thinning thread.

Private Hawkins was killed in this action (28/6/15) and his body never recovered. He is commemorated on the Helles Memorial.

Frederick Hawkins was born in 1886 at Tooting London, an optician by trade he was the younger brother of Walter Hawkins (9 years junior). Walter enlisted with the 2nd Battalion Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment) and was killed in action at Gallipoli on the 28/6/1915, possibly as a result of this, Frederick enlisted on the 24/8/1915 with the 12th Battalion Royal Fusiliers who were part of the 17th Brigade 24th Division. His service number being 4160 & 471443. (471443 part of the block allocated to the 12th Battalion R.F)

He served at home from the 24/8/15 – 16/12/16, France 17/12/16 – 23/2/17.

England and hospitalized with acute rheumatic fever 24/2/17 – 29/3/17 and transferred to the 9th Battalion R.F. (36th Brigade 12th Division. He remained in England until the 30/3/1918. During this time, he attended a musketry course (Rifle) and a range finders’ course (Vickers MG), returning to France 31/3/1918 – 7/2/1919.

On the 23/8/1918 during the attack and the German counter attack, near Lens, Private Hawkins was gassed but not badly enough to be evacuated to England. The Battalion suffered 3 Officers killed, 2 wounded and 1 missing. Other ranks estimated at 350. Home 8/2/19 – 10/3/19 and demobilized.