French Appeal To Find Relatives of Deceased Hanwell Airman

Commemoration planned for next year and family of Sgt Alfred Hawkins sought

(Gravestones of deceased airmen at Belloy Churchyard, Oise Picardy, France)

The community of a French village who are planning to pay tribute to seven RAF airmen killed in World War 2 are seeking the relatives of one who they believe may still live in Hanwell.

The Lancaster bomber, on a mission to Reims, crashed over Belloy in Picardy in 1944 with 7 crew ages 20 to 28 on board, there were no survivors.

They men were buried in a Commonwealth grave in the cemetery of Belloy which is 42 kilometres east-north-east of Beauvais, and 6 kilometres south-east of Tricot. The collective grave is near the entrance gate of the churchyard.

Flight Engineer, Sgt. Alfred David Hawkins, 626 Squadron Royal Air Force Volunteers Reserve, is listed as being the oldest member of the crew at 28, the son of Henry Gransby and Edith Mary Hawkins and the husband of Dorothy Phylis Hawkins of Hanwell Middlesex.

The community of Belloy has managed to find and keep in contact with relatives of the rest of the crew but have so far drawn a blank with Sgt Hawkins.

However, they say that earlier this month they found a handwritten note left at the cemetery with a bunch of flowers and believe it is from relatives of Sgt Hawkins who came to pay their own respects.

The note found at the churchyard:
Alfie Remembered & not forgotten
Paul , Christine, Joe, Betty Strong Joan Hawkins
In Some Corner of a Foreign Field Lie 7 Brave Men And A Good Friend

Elisabeth and Antoine Bardinet from Belloy are appealing for help to trace the relatives of Sgt Hawkins. They write, '' The commune of Belloy has for years got and keep in contact with relatives of the other airmen crew but never succeeded in getting contact with any relative of Sgt Hawkins. Every 5 years we commemorate the memory of the crew who died in June 1944 with the families and we are desperate to get family members of Sgt Hawkins with us.''

If anyone can help or has any information contact via email bardineta@aol.com

June 19 2018