Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Patrick Francis Hawley lived at Neerkol west of Rockhampton and went to school at the Christian Brothers College in Rockhampton. He studied dentistry for a short while before taking a land selection and working hard on the farm from the age of 16. In July 1915 at 21 years old, he enlisted in the AIF and was allocated to the 31st Infantry Battalion. He joined the 31st Battalion in Egypt in December 1915 and trained there until June 1916 when the battalion sailed for France. Although not clear from Patrick’s record, it’s likely that he had his first combat experience at Fromelles on 19 July. Hawley was lucky that he was not one of the 5533 Australians killed, wounded or missing that night.

Soon after that battle, he was transferred to the 8th Light Trench Mortar Battery. This unit was in the same brigade, the 8th, as the 31st Battalion so he didn’t move too far away. These batteries used the 3 inch Stokes Mortar and provided indirect fire support, similar to artillery, from the trenches. Their range was shorter that artillery but their advantage was that they are directly controlled by the brigade commander, so there is a better guarantee that he can call on them immediately.


In February 1917 Patrick Hawley was promoted to substantive corporal, brining an increase in pay and more responsibility. Shortly after that he was promoted to sergeant to fill a gap when one of the sergeants was wounded in action. In June 1917 he attended a training course on mortars and after that he went to hospital for a month with a septic leg.

A short leave in Paris in early September was Hawley’s last free time. He was killed in action on 27 September 1917 during the Battle of Polygon Wood. Unfortunately we have on information on the circumstances of his death, but the 8th Brigade was doing heavy fighting to the east and south of Polygon Wood at the time and he may have been killed by enemy artillery fire.

After the war his mother, wrote about him, “Very clever at school, selected land at 16 years, worked hard, enlisted soon after 21 years old. Brother of John Michael Hawley who was drowned on the troopship Suevic”.
His mother wrote some letters to the military authorities. In part,

“I wish to point out that I have not received a photo of my son’s grave. (the son who was killed in France).
I do not know if I am supposed to get one in remembrance of my son who was drowned at sea.
I see some women with a black ribbon – I have not got one.
Thanking you for your kind interest. I am, Your faithfully, (Mrs) M Hawley.”
Of course, Sergeant Patrick Francis Hawley has no known grave, so there was no photo to send.
Patrick must have been writing to Miss Margret Goddard, from Punt Rd, South Yara, She writes,
“I should be obliged if you could give me any information concerning 1545 Sergeant P F Hawley, 8th Light Trench Mortar Battery. I heard from him regularly until about eight months ago.”
She received a reply dated 17 June 1918
“I regret to inform you that 1545 Sergeant P.F. Hawley 8th Light Trench Mortar Battery, is officially reported having been killed in action in the field on 27th September 1917. Yours faithfully, “

Patrick’s brother John was an accountant before the war. During training in Australia he was promoted to corporal and attend the course for sergeants. He overbalanced and drowned at sea 5 days out of Sierra Leone on his way to England. He must have written to his mother as she noted on his Roll of Honour Card, “Sierra Leone, first place he saw snow, and last place he saw land.”