posted on 2024-06-05, 19:37authored byTheir Finest Hour Project Team
Fredrick Henry Hawkins was in the Royal Army Service Corps. The 1944 Christmas Day menu for soldiers in Basrah was signed by all who were with him at the dinner. There was movement control for him to go on leave on 11th May 1945 from Basrah to Beirut. Each soldier had two dog tags- in case he died, they would be used to identify the body. When he came back from the war, the contributor felt that he was an intruder until she grew to know him. He sent her a leather bag from Egypt.
History
Item list and details
1. Christmas menu 1944 in Basrah, Iraq
2. Movement control permission slip 11.05.45 from Basrah to Beirut
3. Dog tag with name and number
Person the story/items relate to
Fredrick Henry Hawkins
Person who shared the story/items
Yvonne Lillian Florence Paris
Relationship between the subject of the story and its contributor
He was the contributor's father.
Type of submission
Shared at West Berkshire Museum, Newbury on 17 January 2024.