No. 1853/200711 1st/4th Battalion Suffolk Regiment who died on 4th November 1917 aged 23.

Buried at Birr Cross Roads Cemetery, Ypres.

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Albert was born Hasketon 1894, son of John and Bertha Hawes.

He died in the Ypres area during 3rd Battle of Ypres (Passchendaele).

Before the war he worked on a farm.

Personal details

Parents were John Hawes [B.Otley, c1871], and Bertha Hawes nee Booth [B. Ufford, c1867]. Albert was born in Hasketon and the family lived here until about 1900.   He was the oldest of 4 siblings, (Florence [1896] Robert [1899] Hilda [1905]).  In 1901 census he was staying in Hasketon with his grandparents, Henry and Mary Hawes (B.Otley 1835, and 1836] while the rest of the family was living in Clopton.

The 1911 Census records the whole family living in Gooderhams Farm, Snipe Road, Clopton.

His mother Bertha Annie, was named to receive his personal effects.

Albert Hawes was a cousin to Charles and Henry Hawes.  Their fathers, John and Walter Hawes, were brothers.

War service.

With the exception of his entry on the WW1 Medal Roll, we have not found any records relating to Alberts military service in the Suffolk Regiment.  He was awarded the Victory and British medals, but not the 14 or 15 Star. This suggests he arrived in Flanders after December 1915.

The 4th Battalion moved up into the front line near Ypres on 20th September 1917 in time to fight a large German counter-attack on September 25th, and later took part in the Battle of Polygon Wood.  The battalion sustained 262 casualties during this time.  After this they moved to the rear and spent some time during October and early November providing working parties in the Ypres area.  The 4th Battalion war diaries record several soldiers wounded by shellfire during this time. There are no deaths reported, so it’s possible Albert may have been one of these casualties and later died from his wounds.

Albert is also remembered on the Clopton War Memorial.