LEST WE FORGET
Sergeant Hedley Maurice HAWKINS
Service No: 404433
Born: Brisbane QLD, 9 August 1921
Enlisted in the RAAF: 16 August 1940
Unit: No. 101 Squadron (RAF), RAF Stradishall, Suffolk
Died: Air Operations: (No. 101 Squadron Wellington aircraft X3457), Denmark, 21 September 1942, Aged 21Years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Samuel Hedley Hemming Hawkins and Vera May Hawkins, of Northgate, Queensland, Australia.
Roll of Honour: Unknown
Remembered: Panel 112, Runnymede Memorial, Surrey UK
Remembered: Panel 123, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Wellington X3457 of 101 Squadron took off from RAF Station Stradishall at 1945 hours on 21 September 1942 to carry out a mine laying operation. The aircraft was due back at 0245 hours the next morning, but it did not return to base. Following post war enquiries and investigations, it was recorded in 1949 that the missing crew had lost their lives at sea.
The crew members of X3457 were:
Sergeant Hedley Maurice Hawkins (404433) (Pilot)
Sergeant John Rimmer (1068981) (RAFVR) (Pilot and Bomb Aimer)
Sergeant Joseph Eli Rodgers (R/92207) (RCAF) (Wireless Operator Air Gunner)
Sergeant John Sanderson Sagar (1527312) (RAFVR) (Observer)
Flight Sergeant Whitby Shankland (902858) (RAFVR) (Air Gunner)
References:
Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour On-Line Records (RAAF Casualty Information compiled by Alan Storr (409804))
Commonwealth War Graves Commission On-Line Records
Department of Veteran’s Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 163/120/582