Name
James William Hawkes
13 April 1875
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
18/08/1915
41
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Leading Stoker
288733
Royal Navy
H.M.S. "Lilac"
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Navy Star, British War Medal and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
CHATHAM NAVAL MEMORIAL
11
United Kingdom
Headstone Inscription
N/A
UK & Other Memorials
Kimpton Village Memorial, St Peter & St Paul Church, Kimpton
Pre War
James William Hawkes was born in Islington on 13 April 1875, the son of Joseph and Sarah Henrietta Hawkes and was baptised at St Michael, Islington on 20 June 1875. The family were then living at 95 Bingfield Street and his father was working as a Railway Porter.
His mother died in 1880 and on the 1881 Census he was living with his aunt and uncle, William and Caroline Dorban, at Balls Slough, Kimpton, Herts.
He joined the Royal Navy on 10 May 1898 and on the 1901 Census he was listed as a Stoker with HMS Pembroke, a training establishment and shore barracks in Chatham, Kent.
His father later lived at Kimpton Green, Welwyn, Herts.
Wartime Service
James had joined the Royal Navy prior to WW1.
He had been serving as a Leading Stoker on HMS Lilac from 18 June 1915 when it hit a mine on 18 August 1915 in the North Sea which seriously damaged the ship and killed 17 crew. He was reported missing after the explosion and was confirmed as killed in action on 18 August 1915, aged 41.
His body was not recovered for burial and his name is commemorated on the Chatham Memorial, Kent.
Additional Information
His next of kin on Naval Records was given as his sister Mrs A Scott, 158 Morley Road, Leyton, E10.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Adrian Pitts
