David Hawkes
Private, 2nd Battalion, Rifle Brigade. (Prince Consort's Own)
- Register No.
- 548 (Alf's numbering, from The Register of the Victoria Cross, 1997)
- Rank
- Private all Privates →
- Unit
- 2nd Battalion, Rifle Brigade. (Prince Consort's Own) all Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort's Own) VCs →
- Date of action
- 11 March 1858 on this day → all of 1858 →
- Conflict / campaign
- Indian Mutiny
- London Gazette
- 24th December 1858 on this day → all of 1858 →
- Born
- in 1822 at Witham, Essex
- Died
- 14th August 1858 at Fyzabad, India
- Award
- Posthumous all posthumous VCs →
- Memorial / grave
- on the Rifle Brigade Memorial in Winchester Cathedral, Hampshire
Digest of citation
On 11th March 1858 at Lucknow, India, Private Hawks' company was engaged with a large number of the enemy near the Iron Bridge. At one stage a captain * found himself at the end of the street with only four of his men, opposed to a considerable body of the enemy. One the men was shot through both legs and Private Hawks, although severely wounded, lifted him up with the help of a corporal the captain firing with the men's rifles and covering the retreat of the party
From Alf Askin's research notes
Reproduced as Alf wrote it, c. 2000–2005. Spelling and abbreviations are his own.
HAWKES, David. (reg No. 548).
Private. 2nd Battalion, Rifle Brigade. (Prince Consort's Own).
London Gazetted on 24th December 1858.
Born on in 1822 at Witham, Essex.
Died on 14th August 1858 at Fyzabad, India.
Memorial on the Rifle Brigade Memorial in Winchester Cathedral, Hampshire.
Digest of Citation reads: On 11th March 1858 at Lucknow, India, Private Hawks' company was engaged with a large number of the enemy near the Iron Bridge. At one stage a captain * found himself at the end of the street with only four of his men, opposed to a considerable body of the enemy. One the men was shot through both legs and Private Hawks, although severely wounded, lifted him up with the help of a corporal * and they then carried their comrade for a considerable distance, the captain firing with the men's rifles and covering the retreat of the party.
* H.Wilmot (reg No. 1318) and W Nash (reg No. 914).
* and they then carried their comrade for a considerable distance,
* H.Wilmot (reg No. 1318) and W Nash (reg No. 914).
Visit the grave or memorial
Alf recorded the memorial as: on the Rifle Brigade Memorial in Winchester Cathedral, Hampshire
Map links open a search for the place name Alf recorded; please check opening times and exact locations before travelling. Many VC graves have since been restored by the Victoria Cross Trust.
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