Eynon Hawkins
| Personal information | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Eynon Hawkins | |||||
| Born | June 26 1920 Llanharan, Wales | |||||
| Died | December 17 2001 | |||||
| Playing information | ||||||
| Position | Prop | |||||
| Club | ||||||
| Years | Team | Pld | T | G | FG | P |
| 1948–52 | Salford | 93 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 12 |
| ≤1953–≥53 | Rochdale Hornets | |||||
| Total | 93 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 12 | |
| Representative | ||||||
| Years | Team | Pld | T | G | FG | P |
| 1949–53 | Wales | 6 | ||||
| Source: rugbyleagueproject.org | ||||||
Eynon Hawkins (birth registered July–September 1920 – 2001) was an Albert Medal and George Cross World War II hero and a Welsh professional rugby league footballer of the 1940s and '50s, playing at representative level for Wales, and at club level for Salford, and Rochdale Hornets, as a Prop, i.e. number 8 or 10, during the era of contested scrums.[1] His birth was registered in Bridgend district.[2]
Early Life
The son of a miner, Hawkins was born at Llanbaran, in Glamorgan. Educated locally, he left school at 14 and went into the mining industry, playing rugby union for Llanharan, Bridgend and Glamorgan in his spare time. He joined the navy in 1940, and, after training at HMS Raleigh and HMS Drake, spent nine months on a trawler patrolling the English Channel, before transferring as a seaman gunner to the Dems, with whom he served in the Atlantic, Mediterranean and Indian oceans.[3]
A War Hero
On January 10 1943, Eynon 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.
About 300 miles southwest of Madeira, the convoy in which Hawkins was serving was attacked. Hit by three torpedoes, the British Dominion caught fire almost immediately. The blaze was so fierce and the fear of explosion so great that, before the lifeboats could be launched, the order was given for the crew to abandon ship.
Many crew members jumped overboard. In the terrible confusion that followed, Hawkins, with great coolness and courage, managed to gather together a group of about nine men 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.
For his great courage in saving life at sea, Hawkins was awarded the Albert medal in bronze, which he received from King George VI at Buckingham Palace on November 16 1943. He later also received the Lloyds medal for bravery at sea.
International honours
Hawkins won caps for Wales while at Salford, and Rochdale Hornets 1949–1953 6-caps.[4]
References
- ↑ Williams, Graham; Lush, Peter; Farrar, David (2009). The British Rugby League Records Book. London League. pp. 108–114. ISBN 978-1-903659-49-6.
- ↑ "Birth details at freebmd.org.uk". freebmd.org.uk. 31 December 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
- ↑ "Full Details of his life". theguardian.com. 24 December 2001. Retrieved 3 May 2014.
- ↑ "Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2012.