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(Civilian) William Hawkins
1939-1945 War: Civilian War Dead
Died: 7 Aug 1943 Age: 57
Tower: Winslow Society: Oxford Diocesan Guild
CWGC Grave/Memorial: Winslow (Rural District) --
CWGC data
- Casualty Number: 3100375
- Casualty Details: (Link by permission of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission)
Notes
Initials written in Memorial Book as "M W".
He was at home, 4 Rose Cottages, Winslow, with his wife, Nora Hawkins, when, in the early hours of 07/08/1943, a Wellington X3790 Mark III bomber of 26 Operational Training Unit was, according to the survivor's account, making a second attempt to land at Little Horwood Airfield. The plane ploughed through the Chandos Arms in the High Street and the adjacent house (no.82), then hit Rose Cottages, a row of four houses behind the High Street, of which three were burnt down as the plane caught fire. Several people in the houses were saved by their iron bedsteads. The remains of the plane ended up in the gardens behind the cottages. Sadly both William and his wife perished. It is believed they are both buried in Winslow (St. Lawrence) Churchyard. Their Son, Lance Bombardier Reginald Alfred Hawkins (not known to be a bellringer) was killed in action on 31/05/1940, while covering the retreat to Dunkirk, and is buried in Oost-Cappel Churchyard, Nord, France.