Charles is buried at Sarigol Military Cemetery, Kriston, Greece.

No. 18645.  1st Battalion Suffolk Regiment who died on 12th March 1918 aged 22

He was born Hasketon June 1895, son of Walter and Ellen Hawes.

Died from wounds whilst on active service in Salonica (Thessalonia) Greece.

Before the war he was employed as a ‘worker on a farm’.

Personal details

Parents were Walter Hawes [B. Otley, c1862] and Ellen Jane Hawes nee Groom [B.Grundisburgh, c1862]. 

( Francis) Charles was their 4th child, the others being Cecilia [B. Grundisburgh, 1886], Ellen [B. Grundisburgh 1889], Henry [B. Grundisburgh 1890], Walter [B. Hasketon 1898], Arthur [B. Hasketon, 1900].  They are living in Hasketon in 1901 where Walter is working as a ‘Horse man on farm’. Ellen does not appear in the 1911 census when Walter and the rest of the family, with a further two children, Leonard [B. Hasketon, 1900] and (Alberta) Cora [B. Hasketon, 1902], are living at Coppings Farm, Hemingstone.  Walter is now a farm bailiff, and Charles is employed as a worker on a farm. There is a death registered for Ellen Jane Hawes in 1912.

Note that Charles in the younger brother of Henry Walter Hawes who is buried in Hasketon Church graveyard.   Albert Hawes is their cousin:  his father John Hawes, and Walter Hawes were brothers.

Walter is listed as next of kin in the Army Register of Soldiers’ Effects.

War service.

The Medal Roll indicates he was entitled to the 15 Star, Victory and British Medals, but unfortunately his Army Service Records have been lost so we have no details of Charles’ enlistment date. His date of entry to France is given as 22nd June 1915.

At the outbreak of the war the 1st Battalion of the Suffolk Regiment was based in Khartoum, but returned to the UK during the autumn and then to Flanders in January 1915.  It fought in both the Battles of Ypres and Loos during 1915, suffering over 400 casualties. Charles joined the Battalion in late June 1915 when they were manning trenches near Ypres. No major actions are reported at this time, although Murphy (pp 80-81) reports several fatalities due to sniping and shellfire.

The battalion was transferred out to Macedonia in November 1915. Several actions were fought against the Bulgarian army in the following 2 years, and in addition sickness from malaria and influenza caused many casualties. Charles died of wounds on 12th March 1918. This does not coincide with any major actions, so it is unclear how he died.