Sergeant Henry John Hawker (c1884-1961) was living in Wickhamford in 1905 when he married Ellen Louise Shill. At the 1901 census he was general labourer in Evesham and in 1911 a gardener living in the town, and in 1914 a platelayer who was living at 1 Trumpet Court, Evesham.
Henry enlisted as a Private with the 8th Worcestershire Regiment. (No. 3052) on 28th September 1914 and was promoted to Lance Corporal the following year. He was sent to France on 1st April 1915. Henry Hawker transferred there to the Royal Engineers (No. WR/258649 and No. 190654) on 10th May 1916, eventually rising to be the rank of sergeant. The only note on his conduct sheet was “An act to the prejudice of good order and military discipline viz – allowing a prisoner to obtain intoxicant”. For this he was given a severe reprimanded on 7th September 1916 following the incident two days earlier.
He appears on the 1919 Absent Voters’ List as from the parish of Evesham St Lawrence.