Category Archives: Reading School War Memorial

Oliver Luther Hawkins

Abbey Baptist Church, Army, Commemorated name/s, Other Regiments, Reading School War Memorial, Ypres

Oliver Luther Hawkins
Second Lieutenant
3rd Battalion East Yorkshire Regiment.

 Division 29

Hawkins OL photo  CIMG2096

Oliver Luther Hawkins was the son of William Slade Hawkins and is commemorated on the family grave on the corner of the division next to the boundary wall.  He died of wounds during April 1915.  The date of death on the cemetery headstone is 23rd April 1915, that of the CWGC register 26th April 1915.  He was aged 22.

Oliver Hawkins is buried at Hazebrouck Communal Cemetery, North France. Location II.E.28.   Hazebrouck, is a town about 56 kilometres from Calais and is easily reached.  From October 1914 to September 1917 Casualty Clearing Stations were posted at Hazebrouck.   Although, from September 1917 to September 1918, enemy shelling rendered the town unsafe for hospitals.

It is likely that Oliver Hawkins had gone through the initial parts of the usual evacuation process of the wounded but succumbed to his injuries before reaching a base hospital.  The Second Battle of Ypres was taking place at the time of his death. 

The 1901 census indicates that the family lived at 97 London Road, his father was a private secretary. He had one sister and three brothers. The 1911 census indiates that he was a border in School House, Reading School.  At Reading School Oliver was a popular sportsman and gifted student.  He won the Lord Roberts prize and distinctions in cricket and football.  Oliver studied for a time at Marburg University, Germany and in 1913 went to Jesus College, Cambridge.   Whilst at Cambridge he joined the OTC and obtained a commission. The headstone of the family grave bears sad testimony to the early deaths of several family members.  His father died in November 1915. 

Septimus James Hawkes

Graves, Reading School War Memorial, St. Batholomew's Church

Septimus James Hawkes
Captain Royal Berkshire Regiment

 Division 66
Extension

Hawkes SJ photo

Septimus James Hawkes,  was the son of  Eliza Laura Louise Hawkes and John Hollingworth Hawkes, of 49, London Road, Reading.  His is a registered war grave with a private memorial, number 14431. Septimus James Hawkes was the youngest of nine children and the family lived at 5a Bulmershe Road at the time of the 1901 census. His father was a bank accountant. By 1911 his mother was a widow of independent means living with a companion, servant and four children on Basingstoke Road. Septimus was still in school.  Septimus James Hawkes on enlistment served  with the Royal Fusiliers and arrived in France on 7 December 1915. When he was promoted to Lieutenant he was posted to the Royal Berkshire Regiment where he was later promoted to Captain.

The Reading Standard of  July 20th 1918 reported his funeral:

“The Funeral of Captain S. J. Hawkes at, St. Bartholomew’s Church, Reading,  was attended by a large congregation. Captain Hawkes died suddenly at his barracks in Dublin on the 10th July.

Before the war he had been interested in the boys of St. Bartholomew’s Church and had held the position of Scout master.  Educated at Reading School where he was a member of the OTC and the Rugby XV.  He joined the University and Public Schools Brigade soon after the commencement of hostilities and subsequently transferred to the Military College, Sandhurst where he obtained his commission in the Royal Berkshire Regiment.  He served in France for some time and was wounded and returned to England, later he went to Ireland.  He had recently been on leave when he was best man at his brothers wedding.  He had passed exams for the Royal Air Force to which he had transferred just before his death.  There was  a firing party  from the Royal Berkshire Regiment Depot and wreath in regimental colours.  Capt. Hawkes was 23”.

Captain Hawkes is commemorated upon the Reading School war memorial.

Harold Guille

Army, Canadian, Commemorated name/s, Graves, Other Regiments, Reading School War Memorial, Ypres

Harold Guille
Private 442387
7th Battalion Canadian Infantry (British Columbia Regiment)

 Divison 19

Guille H photo  CIMG2094

Harold Guille  was the son of Mr. & Mrs. George C. Guille , of 28, Castle Crescent, Reading. The 1901 census indicated that Harold had two older sisters and a step brother. At the time Harold was fifteen and no occupation is given for him. Further information pertaining to Harold Guille is held in Canadian records and 1911 census however, the CWGC register indicated that he was the husband of May Guille, of Nelson, British Columbia.   He was killed in action on the 15th April 1916, aged 31. 

Harold Guille is buried in Railway Dugouts Burial Ground (Transport Farm), near Ypres. Plot IV. Row E. 30.  The burial ground was started during 1915 and during 1916 and 1917 the farm was usedby Advanced Dressing Stations. After the Armistice the burial ground became a concentration cemetery.

 The Second Battle of Ypres drew to a conclusion on 24th May 1915.  With it the intense action of the conflict assumed a lower key but, although quieter in many respects, men were still suffering and dying in terrible circumstances.  Shelling, mining and raids of one sort or another took their toll of lives.  Actions to straighten out the line took place at Bellwaarde Ridge and Hooge Château in July 1915, the British used a massive mine and the Germans used “liquid fire” to reek destruction.  Working parties moved through sickening mud and slime, all around the smell of unburied dead.  Later in the year the Battle of Loos began and ended, here the British used gas for the first time.  Gallipoli was finally evacuated in January 1916, Verdun was attacked in February and the “Big Push” planned for the summer.  Around Ypres the shelling, mining, counter mining, trench raids, snow, rain, frost and lice were endured by both sides.  On both sides men died in abominable circumstances.