South Yorkshire Times January 16, 1943

Excitement in the Navy

Signaller George Hawkins, son of Mr. and Mrs. J. Hawkins, of Albert Terrace, Kiveton Park, and grandson of Mrs. Blount, and the late Mr. W. Blount, of 35, Hirstgate, Mexborough, has had some exciting adventures since he joined the Navy in 1939 at the age of 17 years.

His first ship was the destroyer Broke, and afterwards he was transferred to a larger ship. He took part in the Bismarck chase in March, 1941, and later saw service with the Iceland Northern Patrol and the West Mediterranean Patrol. He took part in the escorting of the first convoy from Alexandria to Malta, and was I present when the aircraft carrier Ark Royal, was sunk. George afterwards went to Durban and Freetown, and speaks highly of the welcome and hospitality given them in South Africa.

The next place was Madagascar, where his ship engaged the shore batteries. He next went from Mombasa to Aden and through the Suez to join the Eastern Mediterranean Patrol. In an escort of a convoy to Malta they were bombed for three days and attacked by U-boats and E-boats. They were torpedoed and sunk later, and at the time he was in the sick hay with malaria and a temperature of 103 degrees. They were in the water two hours before being picked up. George spent some time in hospital in Alexandria, and then had 14 days’ survivor’s leave in the Transvaal where he had a good time.

He joined another ship at Freetown and while on the way to Gibraltar was again torpedoed. He and his mates were afloat on rafts for 12 hours before being picked up, and Signaller Hawkins had just strength to haul himself on board. They were taken on board a U.S.A. ship and given blankets and clothes. They afterwards landed at a Scottish port with some of the freed men of H.M.S. Manchester.