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.

Henry Miller

Graves

Harry Miller MM
Regimental details not known.

Division 21

 

 

Harry Miller MM was the son of John and Louisa Miller and is buried with his parents and brother in the family grave.   Although not strictly speaking a war grave or commemoration he is likely to have served in the Great War and further research has to be done in order to establish how he gained his Military Medal.

He died on 30th May 1929 aged 43 years.
The circumstance of the death of Harry Miller are not known.

Francis John Harper

Army, Berkshire Yeomanry, Registered War Grave

Francis John Harper
Private 2351
1st/1st Berkshire Yeomanry

Division 24

CIMG2179

Francis J. Harper was aged 32 when he died.   He had been a member of the Berkshire Yeomanry for 12 years, resigning some years before the war at the rank of sergeant.  When war broke out he re-enlisted as a trooper (the equivalent of Private)  and  would have been entitled to be promoted because of previous experience.   He contracted a severe chill at Bear Wood whilst training and was brought to the Royal Berkshire Hospital where he died on the 6th January 1915  from double pneumonia.

The military funeral was attended by 140 officers and men of the Yeomanry, employees of Mr J. White, Castle St., staff from Whitley Special School, his brother Mr W. Harper of 102 Radstock Rd. himself an old Bucks. Yeoman,  his sister and widowed father.  A detachment of  men from Bear Wood followed his flag draped coffin to the grave, over which the customary three volleys were fired.

There was a wreath from the children of Whitley Special School, whom he used to drive to and from school.  The Standard reported that the  children had the kindest regard for Mr Harper, who when he enlisted received a letter from the physically defective pupils saying –  

Dear Mr. Harper,

We are all very glad to hear you are going to the front, but we are very sorry to have to say good-by to you.  We hope you will someday return safely, and come back to drive our carriage once more.  We have collected just a little money and we hope you will buy something you like with it.  The socks are knitted by the girls.  Thanking you for all your kindness to us. 

Yours sincerely the Children of P.D.SIDE 

P.S.  Will you please let  us know where you are stationed  so that we may write to you sometimes.

Francis John Harper is interred in a Registered War Grave with a war pattern headstone.