Albert HAWKER MM

HAWKER, Albert

    Service Number: 2717
    Enlisted: 28 June 1915, Enlisted at Ballarat, Victoria
    Last Rank: Lance Corporal
    Last Unit: 57th Infantry Battalion
    Born: Henley on Arden, England, 1892
    Home Town: Ballarat, Central Highlands, Victoria
    Schooling: Not yet discovered
    Occupation: Farm Labourer
    Died: Killed in Action, Belgium, 25 September 1917
    Cemetery: New Irish Farm Cemetery
    Plot XXXV, Row A, Grave 12, New Irish Farm Cemetery, Ypres, Flanders, Belgium
    Memorials: Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour
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    World War 1 Service

    28 Jun 1915: Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 2717, 8th Infantry Battalion, Enlisted at Ballarat, Victoria
    15 Sep 1915: Involvement Private, 2717, 8th Infantry Battalion, Third Ypres, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '9' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: SS Makarini embarkation_ship_number: '' public_note: ''
    15 Sep 1915: Embarked Private, 2717, 8th Infantry Battalion, SS Makarini, Melbourne
    24 Feb 1916: Transferred Private, 60th Infantry Battalion, From 8th Battalion at Serapeum
    15 Mar 1916: Transferred AIF WW1, Private, 57th Infantry Battalion, From 60th Battalion at Tel-el-Kebir
    29 Mar 1917: Promoted AIF WW1, Lance Corporal, 57th Infantry Battalion
    11 May 1917: Honoured Military Medal, Citation reads: At Beaumetzon the morning of 24th March 1917, during an attack by the enemy on our position, Private Hawker showed great gallantry in the face of the enemy. He was in charge of a Lewis gun. When his platoon was driven out of their position and had to retire he showed great coolness in covering the retirement with his gun, killing a number of the advancing enemy, and afterwards bringing his gun back to the rallying position. He advanced again in a counter attack and was the first to bring fire to bear on the retreating enemy from the recaptured position. His coolness and initiative steadied the men of the party at a most critical time and in a great measure was responsible for the small number of casualties in the retirement. His conduct throughout was of the highest order and is worthy of distinction. London Gazette on 11 May 1917, page 4601, position 41 Commonwealth of Australia Gazette on 27 August 1917, page 1829, position 5
    25 Sep 1917: Involvement Lance Corporal, 2717, 57th Infantry Battalion, Third Ypres, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 2717 awm_unit: 57 Battalion awm_rank: Lance Corporal awm_died_date: 1917-09-25

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    Biography contributed by Carol Foster

    Arrived in Australia aged 19 years

    Son of Alfred Hawker and E. Hawker of Tiddington, Stratford on Avon, Warwickshire, England

    Medals: Military Medal, 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal

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