Spr W Hawkins - Royal Monmouthshire Engineers

[BROOKIES]

Morning.

He we photo's and medals of one man sapper William (Bill) Hawkins who was with the 100th Field coy Royal Monmouthshire Engineer who was a prisoner of war from 1940 to 1945 (Prisoner no 10646 and soldier no 4623).

Bill was taken prisoner in April 1940 he said that he was sent out in a lorry with a water bowser on tow to get some water for the troop after about an hour he returned to where he thought they were but couldn't find them, drove on further and pulled into a farm to look for them, got out of his truck and looked into some barns, coming out he was confronted by a German with a rifle "hands up", said that as a driver he didn't have any weapons, so war over and a few years in prison.

After the war Bill worked as a cobbler with a shop in Hay-On-Wye

1. Bill in 1940 (note just out of hospital in France 1940)
2. Bill front row second from right (1/9/41 Stalag XXA (3A) Gepruft 21)
3. Group in hut (Stalag XX A Gepruft 22)
4. Bill marked in group photo in the snow (M-Stammlager XX A Gepruft 19 00.3.42)
5. His medals.

Ta

Jonathan

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[Hoot]

If he was a PoW from 1940 to 1945 he would not have been entitled to the France and Germany Star.

[manchesters]

Originally Posted by Hoot

If he was a PoW from 1940 to 1945 he would not have been entitled to the France and Germany Star.

or the Defence meda I believe.

regards

[BROOKIES]

When I got the medals I knew some medals shouldn't be in there but I am going to keep them all together as that is what Bill had in the bundle of memorabilia he left to me in his will.

Ta

Jonathan.

[bess55]

He may have learned his trade 'in the bag' as they appear to be 'cobbling' in pic No.3?