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Auction: 24003 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 220

The early and well-documented 'Phoney War 1939' D.F.M. awarded to Sergeant G. Hawkins, No. 18 Squadron, Royal Air Force, awarded the D.F.M. for a flight in 1939 while still only a Leading Aircraftman

Hawkins was to feature on the cover of Life Magazine in May 1940, but was listed as missing in action later that month


Distinguished Flying Medal, G.VI.R. (510166. L.A.C. G. Hawkins. R.A.F.), officially impressed naming as issued in this period, good very fine

Approximately 65 D.F.M.'s to the rank of Leading Aircraftman.

D.F.M. London Gazette 8 March 1940, the original citation given in an Air Ministry Press Statement and quoted in The Distinguished Flying Medal Register for the Second World War, states:

'The airman was the Air Gunner of an aircraft which carried out a highly successful reconnaissance over north-west Germany on 31st October, 1939. His aircraft was subjected to intense and accurate A.A. fire over the Siegfried Line and in the bad weather conditions was forced to descend to a low altitude over Central Germany in order to carry out the recce allotted. L.A.C. Hawkins observed enemy activity and movement which had escaped the notice of both the pilot and observer and successfully and accurately pinpointed this activity. While leaving the German coast, despite intense cold, he quickly established communication with a D/F/ Station in the U.K. which enabled his pilot to bring the aircraft home successfully. He has been an outstanding member of the squadron for the past 2 ½ years, during which time he has proved himself to be an Air Gunner and Wireless Operator of exceptional ability. Since the outbreak of hostilities he has taken a very great part in the training of Wireless Operators and Air Gunners posted to the Squadron and been a never ending encouragement.'

George Hawkins was born at Aynho Wharf, Northamptonshire on 5 April 1909, the son of George and Catherine Hawkins. His father worked as a wharfinger, responsible for delivering goods by narrow boat to the coal wharf. The younger Hawkins joined the Royal Air Force on 4 March 1929 at No 1 Depot, RAF Uxbridge, mustering as Aircrafthand in Trade Group 5 suggesting he was unskilled.

His first posting was No. 33 (Bomber) Squadron at Netheravon on 26 June 1929 before being posted to the Electrical & Wireless School at Cranwell on 7 March 1930. Having completed his studies in 1931 he re-mustered as a Wireless Operation (Ground) and returned to Netheravon as part of No 13 (Army Co-Operation) Squadron.

Posted to Malta the next year on 8 January 1932 he was stationed at RAF Hal Far, the first airbase on the Island. Here Hawkins married a local Maltese named Antonia Callyo, a native of Sliema, Valetta, he remained on the Island for some time, joining RAF Headquarters (Mediterranean) on 16 May 1936. Returning to Britain in March 1937 he was posted to No. 18 (Bomber) Squadron in Oxfordshire and again re-mustered as an Air Gunner qualifying as Wireless Operator (Air Gunner) on 19 January 1939.

France 1939-1940

On the outbreak of the Second World War the Squadron, recently re-equipped with Bristol Blenheims the Squadron were posted to France in September 1939 as part of 70 (Reconnaissance) Wing. They undertook reconnaissance flights over North Germany with the goal of identifying possible targets and troop movements.

Their first Operational flight took place from the advanced airfield at Metz on 10 October, with Hawkins flying his first mission on 31 October, over Dortmund. They took a total of 25 photographs on the mission and the value of the intelligence was emphasised in the Squadron Record Book.

Hawkins continued to serve in France, being advanced Leading Aircraftman on 31 December 1939. They continued to fly reconnaissance missions however the Fall of Poland had freed up German aircraft which were steadily increasing in number of aircraft on the Western Front. It soon became clear that the Blenheim's were not suited able to oppose fighters, being outfought and outmanoeuvred by German aircraft regularly. If they were spotted in the air they would be shot down and likely killed.

1940 - The D.F.M. and Life Magazine

One countermeasure for this was to try flying higher, however this tactic came with its own problems. Hawkins took part in a sortie on 12 January 1940, the automatic control for their camera froze solid and they only managed to take 15 photographs. More so Hawkins was caught in temperatures as low as -30 centigrade and suffered from frostbite as a result.

Promoted Sergeant on 2 March 1940 he was further awarded the D.F.M. on 8 March, part of the first batch of awards made to the unit after six months of flying. Several newspapers report that the award of the D.F.M. was made in person by Air Marshall Barrett. The Western Morning News adds to that, claiming the Air Marshall read the recipient's citations, noting of Hawkins '…he withstood intense anti-aircraft fire over the Siegfried Line'. It adds to that:

'… he was the first member of his squadron to carry out a second reconnaissance over enemy territory, flying in intense cold to nearly maximum endurance of the aircraft and over strongly-defended zones.'

He was later to be featured on the front cover of Life magazine on 6 May 1940, just four days before the end of the phoney war. This honour was the result of a recommendation from the Squadron who had been asked to provide a suitable candidate for the front cover.

When the Blitzkrieg exploded out of Germany in May 1940 the air became very dangerous. The squadron sent out repeated flights through the early days of the invasion and on each occasion, they were attacked and either downed or damaged. Hawkins flew his first sortie a week after the start of the Battle for France on 17 May, they targeted and successfully bombed an armoured column on the Le Cateau-Cambrai Road.

They were airborne again that same day, targeting yet another armoured column, this time of the St. Quentin-Peronne Road. Not only did they bomb the column but Hawkins let loose with his machine gun, on both operations they encountered no opposition. As the front moved closer the Squadron was forced to move to Goyencourt. They were forced to move again on 19 May to Crecy-en-Ponthieu, however Hawkin's Blenheim under Flight Lieutenant Wheldon crashed upon landing. The crew survived, however the aircraft was written off completely.

Missing in Action

They left France entirely that same day, with the squadron down to only 8 operational pilots, landing at RAF Watton in Norfolk. This withdrawal did not mean that they were out of the fight however and Hawkins was back in the air within 24 hours of leaving France. His pilot on this occasion was Pilot Officer Cyril Light, he had graduated in October 1939 from Cranwell after his course was accelerated to increase the number of available pilots.

They took off at 12:00 and flew towards Arras in Blenheim L9325, however they failed to return with the loss believed to have occurred around 15:00. An photograph emerged taken by German soldiers of a destroyed aircraft with that number was identified in 2009. This aircraft had been shot down by Flak, crashing at La Priez Farm between Combles and Rancourt, the fuel tanks ruptured upon the crash and the aircraft was destroyed by fire. A great deal of fine work by a French research group successfully identified the previously unknown location and the graves of the three airmen at Rancourt Military Cemetery. Hawkins is further commemorated upon the Runneymede Memorial.

Sold together with copied research including census data, squadron record books, Commonwealth War Graves certificate and research relating to the No 18 Squadron as well as an extremely comprehensive archives of original material comprising:

i)
A copy of Life Magazine featuring the recipient, dated 6 May 1940.

ii)
Three newspaper cuttings.

iii)
An original photograph.

iv)
Two communications from the Ministry of Defence relating to the award of the D.F.M.

v)
Three letters and one telegram informing the recipient's widow that he was missing in action.

vi)
Royal Air Force service papers.

vii)
Named scroll of honour.

viii)
A letter from the recipient's commanding officer congratulating him on the award of the D.F.M.

ix)
A letter from the recipient's father congratulating him on the award of the D.F.M.

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Sold for
£7,000

Starting price
£3000