Hawthorne was born at 175 Cambrai Street, Belfast on 6th November 1912 to James Thomas Hawthorne, Grocer and Mary Hawthorne nee Taylor. They had married on 13th June 1906 at Jennymount Presbyterian Church, Belfast.
Following his education, Hawthorne joined the bank around 1929 based on a starting age of 17.
He volunteered and enlisted into the Royal Air Force (VR) with service number 973032.
Hawthorne was serving with 144 Squadron RAF as a wireless operator when he was killed in action on 1st February 1941.
It is reported that his Hampden aircraft, serial P1328 from No. 144 Squadron based at Willingham crashed at 2015 hours whilst flying in a snowstorm. Sgt J K Thurlbeck and Sgt J T Hawthorne were both killed.
A death notice in the Belfast News-Letter of 10th February 1941 reports:
He is buried in Dundonald Cemetery - Sec. E 6 Grave 226.
Acknowledgements to CWGC - records his age as 27 (1914), to Flight Global website and to Bomber Command Aviation Resource website.
The NatWest Group Archives website has published this information:
James Thomas Hawthorne was born on 6 November 1912, the son of James Thomas and Mary Hawthorne. In April 1934 he went to work for Ulster Bank at its head office in Belfast. Eleven months later he moved to Ballina branch, then back to head office in October 1935. He moved back again to Ballina branch in March 1936; to head office in November 1936; and to Donegal branch in February 1937.
In November 1939 Hawthorne left the bank to go on war service, joining the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. He trained to be a wireless operator.
Sergeant Hawthorne was killed in a flying accident in England on 1 February 1941. He was 28 years old. James Hawthorne is commemorated on two memorials at Ulster Bank’s Belfast head office: its roll of honour for staff who served in the Second World War and its memorial for those who fell.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Please add any verifiable information to assist me in building on the biographical information already detailed. Thank you.