245211 Spr. Harold Hawkin British Army 3rd Canadian Tunnelling Company. (d.18th June 1918) Harold Hawkin was the 32 year old son of John Horsley and Anne Hawkin, of York and husband of Millicent Hawkin, of 4 Langdale Rd., Scarborough. He married Millie (nee Beastall) during the war. Born in York, England, in 1886, Hawkin was attested in April 1915 and embarked for France in July where he was taken on strength of 171 Tunnelling Coy. Royal Engineers and then transferred to the 3rd Canadian Tunnelling Company.
He is commemorated on the St Paul’s Church War Memorial, Holgate and in The King’s Book. His medals are held by the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa and appear on their website.
Harold died on 18th of June 1918 of Erysipelas. Millie related the story that Harold had been badly gassed earlier but had been sent back into action before he had enough time to fully recover. She blamed his subsequent death on his poor health and his body's inability to fight off the infection that took his life. Harold died at No. 14 Stationary Hospital, Wimereux, France and is buried in Terlincthun British Cemetery, Wimille, France.
Erysipelas is a type of skin infection usually caused by group A Streptococcus bacteria. The bacteria may travel to the blood in some cases. This results in a condition called bacteremia. The infection may spread to the heart valves, joints, and bones. Erysipelas is now a treatable disease.
|