3322683 Sgt. Geoffrey Peter DAWKINS, Glider Pilot Regiment: 13/12/1944

Hello I am interested in getting the service records for a chap named Geoffrey Peter Dawkins (Glider Pilot) who sadly died tragically with many others when they crashed into the Pyrenees on the way to India. He wa married to Rose Silverstein in 1935 and had three children when he died in 1944. I am interested in him because my uncle married his widowed wife when he met her on her way to Australia in 1949. I cant understand why there are no more details about his family on the CWGC site?
SERJEANTGEOFFREY PETER DAWKINS
Service Number: 3322683
Regiment & Unit/Ship
The Glider Pilot Regiment, A.A.C.
Date of Death
Died 13 December 1944
Buried or commemorated at
MAZARGUES WAR CEMETERY, MARSEILLES
Plot 3. Row C. Grave 41.
France
When I sent for his marriage certificate I can see that he changed his name by deed poll! I am not sure if that means his full name part of his name or why he did this. It makes him seem mysterious. I know from his marriage certificate that he was 21 when he married Rose in West Ham so born in 1914 - all the information I can see online does not help in finding his birth or who his parents were which seems odd. There is no information online about his service record either which again seems odd considering the way he died. He broke both his legs and was high in the mountains but survived that and was eventually taken down only to have one leg amputated and died within days, poor man. This crash must have been dreadful for them all - I would love to know more about him - does anyone have any bright ideas about how I might get his service record and is there anyway of identifying him pre his deed poll name? Thank you

 

You may have these already, but 24 Squadron Records for that date, and for others who may wish to know the story, some other records and the story of the flight, survivors and rescue etc (Links below)







Source: British National Archives

FLYING DRAMA IN THE PYRENEES – December 5th, 1944

https://the24sec.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/flying-drama-dakota-fl-588.pdf

 

Hello,

The minute he was married his next of kin ceased to be his folks and became his spouse. CWGC didn't start with permanent markers until 1952. Letters were sent by the then-named Imperial War Graves Commission to the last known address of the casualty asking them what they wished on the permanent marker. As you say, your uncle married his widow at some point after 1949 so she was not home to get it. Letters returned were binned and you get these blank CWGC entries which tell you nothing.

As far as his service records go, they ain't free unfortunately. All UK WWII service records are still held by the MoD. You won't need to obtain a death certificate. The CWGC link will suffice:

Request records of deceased service personnel

Good luck in your searches.

Regards,

Dave

 

As you have his service number you do not need a date of birth to send off for his service records and, as per the post above you don't need a death certificate either.

His service number indicates that he enlisted with the Highland Light Infantry.

Why not post a copy of his marriage certificate and any other information that you have on the family and folks around here may be able to help.

 

Casualty lists show him as wounded Sicily 10.7.43, regiment shown as 1 Glider Pilot Regt. The list recording that he "died of wounds, 13.12.44" shows him as 2 Wing GPR with the theatre shown as "Home".

 

Hi.

Search for Dawkins here:

Glider Regiment Casualties Database

On Ladbrook list:



Regards ...

 

If you use Facebook, it might be worth asking on this group: Glider Pilot Regiment Remembered | Facebook
they might be able to help with further information.
I have the War Diaries for the GPR so if you need copies please let me know.

Andy

 

Thank you all for your responses much appreciated

 

Is this his widow?

Name: Mrs Rose Dawkins
Gender: Female
Birth Date: abt 1909
Departure Place: Tilbury, United Kingdom
Arrival Date: 28 May 1949
Arrival Place: Fremantle, Western Australia, Australia
Age on Arrival: 40
Vessel: Asturias

 

Hyacynth

3322683 Sgt. Geoffrey Peter Dawkins.

"Is there anyway of identifying him pre his deed poll name?"

From my reading online, the Deed Poll signed by Geoffrey Peter Dawkins, is a legal document
that does not have to be published. So it is probably gathering dust in a solicitor's office somewhere
and will almost certainly never be found. Not found in the London Gazette.

As he legally enlisted with the Army as Geoffrey Peter Dawkins, I doubt his previous name would be
mentioned on his service record. His service record would be a good record to have regardless.

3322683 Geoffrey Peter Dawkins Enlisted H.L.I. on or about 13.06.1940
3320751 James Hughes Enlisted H.L.I. on 05.03.1940 (Closest confirmed)

As I know of only one Dawkins serving with the Glider Pilot Regiment. I assume the following photo is of him.





Glider Pilot Regiment, No.6 Course, No.2 Glider Training School, Weston.
Photo taken between 24.02.1942 and 14.06.1942.

Back Row:
978809 Cpl. John Alick Peter Still from R.A. (09.01.1942)
Cpl. ?. Maxon
Cpl. ?. Johnson (8 pilots named Johnson)
903228 Cpl. Kenneth Harvey Garner from R.A. (20.01.1942)

Middle Row:
S/Sgt. Alfred Herbert Sheath ("D" Squadron Arnhem)
985899 S/Sgt. Donald James MacDonald from R.A. (06.01.1942) (W.I.A.+ P.O.W. Arnhem)
960652 S/Sgt. K. Westerby from R.A. (20.01.1942) ("A" Squadron Normandy)
Cpl. ?. Myerscough
Cpl. ?. Pritchitt

Front Row:
Cpl. ?. Saunders (5 pilots named Saunders)
1550711 S/Sgt. John Palmer from R.A. (20.01.1942) (Died 18.09.1944 Arnhem)
5252071 S/Sgt. Percy Pemberton Turvey from Worc. R. (Died 06.06.1944 Normandy)
129080 Lt. William Anthony Edmondson from R.W. Fus. (24.02.1942)
165795 2/Lt. Alan Derrick Roscoe from Oxf. & Bucks L.I. (Died flying accident 14.06.1942)
3322683 Sgt. Geoffrey Peter Dawkins from H.L.I. (Died 13.12.1944)
2886661 S/Sgt. G. W. Watmough from Gordons (W.I.A. Sicily)
5254139 S/Sgt. Harold George Protheroe, D.F.M. from Worc. R.



Family history.

Rose Dawkins (Silverstein) Age 39
Born :1910
9B, Cecil Road,
Upton Manor,
London, E.13.

Patricia Melvinia Dawkins Age 13
Born :1936 Pancras, London, England

Barrie Michael Randolph Dawkins Age 9
Born :1939 Ipswich, Suffolk, England

Roger Letts Dawkins Age 7
Born :1942

Dawkins family
Place of residence : Ipswich, Suffolk, England

Rose Dawkins and children
On passenger List Leaving U.K. 3rd May, 1949
H.M.T. (S.S.) Asturias
Destination:
18 Forest Street,
Mount Lawley,
Perth, Western Australia

Rose Dawkins married Samuel O. F. Mears Age 36 (Scotland address)
(Possibly Samuel Owen Flisly Mears? Born N. Ireland)
1951 in Perth, Western Australia

Rose Mears
Died :15th June, 1959 (Western Australia)
42 Salisbury Street,
Bayswater,
Perth, West Australia

 

Great post David.

 

There is also a file on her and the three children at the NAA re the assisted passage program

https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/Sea...eports/ItemDetail.aspx?Barcode=3274945&isAv=N

Barrie passed away in 2002. Barrie Michael Randolph Dawkins (1940-2002) -...

Presumably, from David's information above, Rose was the daughter of Isaac and Dora, nee Hochberg, Silverstein, married Mile End in the December 1905 quarter.

Regards,

Dave

 

Sorry for not answering before Dave and thank you for your kind response, yes to all the questions you have the right people. Thank you for your time : ) : )

 

Hi
I’m the son of Barrie and I have the medals of his father. I have many memories of your uncle Owen who was very close to Barrie. I considered Owen as my grandfather. He was a very kind man and loved Rose deeply.
Please email me and I would be happy to tell you all about I know about Owen and send you photos. Jeffd29@outlook.com.

 

Here is a picture of his medals.

 

Here's a picture of Rose and her children, Patricia, Barrie (dec) and Roger (dec 2022). This would have been around the time that the bombing started in London, and when they were evacuated to live in Scotland. Rose couldn't cope by herself with all 3 kids so Barrie and Roger were sent off to live in a children's home whilst Patricia stayed with Rose. Barrie was about 2 years old, Roger just a baby.

Barrie recounted to me the last time he saw his father, Sgt Geoffrey Peter Dawkins, who came to visit him at the children's for his 5th birthday, 15th November 1944. Barrie told me that his father bought a chocolate cake for him, cut it into slices but then gave the biggest piece to another boy. He didn't have to tell me how much that hurt him. 3 weeks later his father one of 20 glider pilots being transferred to India to train pilots there to fight against the Japanese in the asia pacific. However the weather on the night of the flight was extremely bad and the Dakota flew miles off course and crashed into the top of the Pyrenees at 3.30pm. 6 of the 23 pilots miraculously survived the crash and after 3 days local villagers had located the plane and taken the survivors to the village hospital. GP Dawkins's had serious frostbite, had a leg amputated but died soon after. Truly an awful time for so many.

Rose's brother had emigrated to Australia in the mid 1950's and convinced Rose to join him. After the war however Barrie had become difficult to live with and after arriving in Australia Barrie was billeted out to another family. It wasn't until he was 13 that he finally got to live with his mother Rose and stepfather Owen. Tragically, 6 years later his mother Rose died of cancer. Owen was devastated and never got over her death, and neither did Barrie. Barrie rarely spoke about his past but carried a large picture of Rose in his briefcase his whole life.

Despite all this, Barrie Roger and Patricia all grew up to be successful in the careers and all married and had children. Barrie raised his family in an affluent beachside suburb in Perth Australia where as his son, my biggest worry in life was whether the surf was up. or not.

The tragedy that was my father's and his family endured in the 1940 is incomprehensible to me, and i shall always be grateful for the sacrifice made by my grandfather and so many other young men and women who fought or died, and against tyranny, so that we that we can live a life in peace and freedom.

 

Hello,
Please excuse my intrusion, I travel to the Pyrenees quite frequently to retrace escape routes. When I’m in the area I would be quite willing to visit the site and take some photos. Also, there is an aviation archaeologist in Toulouse that I’m sure would like to support any research, message me if this is acceptable. There is a museum in Toulouse that has quite a bit of detail on crash sites.

I’ve just noted the detailed pdf, will pass it to the archaeologist.

 

I have emailed you

 

I have emailed you