Eynon Hawkins - Prop
Wales RLHeritage No | 216 |
Date Of Birth | 26/06/1920 |
Place Of Birth | Llanharan |
Clubs | Belle Vue Rangers, Rochdale Hornets, Salford Red Devils, Bridgend Ravens, Llanharan |
Regions | Glamorgan |
Honours | Wales RL |
Eynon Hawkins, who was a miner by trade, played club rugby union for his local sides Llanharan and Bridgend as well as being capped by Glamorgan County. But before he turned professional, he was a World War II hero.
He joined the navy in 1940, and, after training at HMS Raleigh and HMS Drake, he spent nine months on a trawler patrolling the English Channel, before transferring as a seaman gunner to the defensively armed merchant ship (Dems), with whom he served in the Atlantic, Mediterranean and Indian oceans. On January 10 1943, he was a Royal Navy able seaman serving as a gunner aboard the British Tanker Company's MV British Dominion, one of a 14-strong convoy en route to Malta from the West Indies when the convoy in which Hawkins was serving was attacked. Hit by three torpedoes, the tanker caught fire almost immediately. The order was given for the crew to abandon ship and many crew members jumped overboard, but Hawkins managed to gather together a group and keep them clear of the burning oil. He twice swam away from his companions to go to the assistance of other survivors who were in difficulty, encouraging them and swimming back with them to the group. The burning oil was still spreading and, as one of the Royal Navy escorts began to pick up survivors, Hawkins, still helping to pull his companions to safety, was badly burned on the face. Because of this, he was awarded the Albert Medal which he received from King George VI at Buckingham Palace on 16 November 1943. He later also received the Lloyds Medal for bravery at sea. Following the later decision to translate the awards for living holders of the Albert and Edward medals to the George Cross, he returned to Buckingham Palace on December 5 1972 to be presented with this.
When the war ended, he turned professional with Salford, for whom he played 93 times, scoring four tries. He later played for Rochdale Hornets and Belle Vue Rangers. He retired in 1965 and returned to Wales, working at Power Dufferin colliery, He later went to work at Ffaldau colliery, from which he retired in 1980.
Eynon was a founder member of the Albert Medal lists Association and a keen supporter of the Royal British Legion. A member of the Victoria Cross and George Cross Association, he regularly attended their reunions. He died in Wales on December 17 2001.
He joined the navy in 1940, and, after training at HMS Raleigh and HMS Drake, he spent nine months on a trawler patrolling the English Channel, before transferring as a seaman gunner to the defensively armed merchant ship (Dems), with whom he served in the Atlantic, Mediterranean and Indian oceans. On January 10 1943, he was a Royal Navy able seaman serving as a gunner aboard the British Tanker Company's MV British Dominion, one of a 14-strong convoy en route to Malta from the West Indies when the convoy in which Hawkins was serving was attacked. Hit by three torpedoes, the tanker caught fire almost immediately. The order was given for the crew to abandon ship and many crew members jumped overboard, but Hawkins managed to gather together a group and keep them clear of the burning oil. He twice swam away from his companions to go to the assistance of other survivors who were in difficulty, encouraging them and swimming back with them to the group. The burning oil was still spreading and, as one of the Royal Navy escorts began to pick up survivors, Hawkins, still helping to pull his companions to safety, was badly burned on the face. Because of this, he was awarded the Albert Medal which he received from King George VI at Buckingham Palace on 16 November 1943. He later also received the Lloyds Medal for bravery at sea. Following the later decision to translate the awards for living holders of the Albert and Edward medals to the George Cross, he returned to Buckingham Palace on December 5 1972 to be presented with this.
When the war ended, he turned professional with Salford, for whom he played 93 times, scoring four tries. He later played for Rochdale Hornets and Belle Vue Rangers. He retired in 1965 and returned to Wales, working at Power Dufferin colliery, He later went to work at Ffaldau colliery, from which he retired in 1980.
Eynon was a founder member of the Albert Medal lists Association and a keen supporter of the Royal British Legion. A member of the Victoria Cross and George Cross Association, he regularly attended their reunions. He died in Wales on December 17 2001.
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