Obituaries Australia

The London Daily Telegraph of December 1 says:— In the official list of casualties issued by the War Office last night appeared the name of Major Lanoe George Hawker, V.C., D.S.O., Royal Engineer, attached to the Royal Flying Corps. Major Hawker is a son of the late. Lieut. H. C. Hawker, R.N., of Home Croft, Longparish, Hants, and was born in 1890. He was educated at the Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, and the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich, and entered the Royal Engineers in 1911. During the present war he has acted as flight commander of the Royal Flying Corps, and has received mention in despatches, as well as the D.S.O. and the V.C. Major Hawker won the Victoria Cross on July 25, 1915. The official record of his deed is as follows: — 'When flying alone he attacked three German aeroplanes in succession. The first managed eventually to escape, the second was driven to ground damaged, and the third, which he attacked at a height of about 10,000 ft., was driven to earth in our lines, the pilot and observer being killed. The personal bravery shown by the officer was of the very highest order, as the enemy's aircraft were armed with machine guns, and all carried a passenger as well as the pilot. The D.S.O. was conferred upon Major (then Lieut.) Hawker for an exploit of which the following is the official record: — “For conspicious gallantry on April 17, 1915, when he succeeded in dropping bombs on the German airshed at Gontrode from a height of only 200 ft. in circumstances of the greatest risk. Lieut. Hawker displayed remarkable ingenuity in utilizing an occupied German captive balloon to shield him from fire while maneuvering to drop the bombs. Major Hawker is the second son of the late Lieut. H. C. Hawker, R.N., of Bungaree, near Clare, who was killed in the hunting field in England three years ago. He is a grandson of the late Hon. G. C. Hawker, M.P., and a great grandson of Admiral Hawker, R.N. His mother resides at Bungaree.