Hawks, John Christopher
Among the seventeen officers killed in the accident during Combined Operations near Warminster on April 13 was Lieut. John Christopher Hawks, R.A.M.C., whose home was in Liverpool. He was the son of Dr. and Mrs F. Swanson Hawks and was born on June 1, 1913 and graduated B.M., B.Ch. of the University of Oxford in 1940. He entered the R.A.M.C. as temp. lieut. in October last year, and was attached to the London Scottish.
Medical Officer in the London Scottish he was killed during combined R.A.F. and Army Exercises on Salisbury Plain on April 19th, 1941. He was educated at Epsom College, where he was head prefect, captain of Rugby football and of cricket. In 1932 he went to Magdalen College, Oxford, having obtained a classical scholarship. He entered King’ s College Medical School in 1937, having been awarded an Epsom College Scholarship. He was good all round at work, games and student affairs. He was an excellent organiser and leader; he became Secretary of the Men’ s Common Room, 1938-9, and was Captain of cricket, 1940. He had held house appointments at King’ s. British Medical Journal May 2, 1942
Biographical
| Surname(s) | Hawks |
|---|---|
| First name(s) | John Christopher |
| Family details | Son of Dr. Francis Swanson Hawks and Edith Maud Hawks; husband of Rosamund Sara Hawks, of Golders Green, Middlesex. |
| Previous education | Epsom College; Magdalen College, Oxford |
| College | King's College London and/or King's College London Hospital |
| Dept / course | Faculty of Medicine |
| Qualifications | M.A., B.M., B.Ch. |
| Military unit | R.A.M.C. Gordon Highlanders attd 2nd Bn, the London Scottish.A battalion |
| Service number | 199932 |
| War / conflict | World War Two (1939-1945) |
| Date of death | 13/04/1942 |
| Age at death | 28 |
| Rank at death | Lieuenant. |
| Burial place | Southampton (Hollybrook) Cemetery |
| Commemoration(s) | Garrison Church, Imber Road, Warminster |
| Notes | On 13th April 2012, the 70th Anniversary of the incident, the Wiltshire Historical Military Society dedicated a commemorative memorial to the 25 dead. |
| Sources | King’ s College London Archives; Commonwealth War Graves Commission; |