Captain Thomas Noel DAWKINS (41978)
23rd Field Regiment Royal Artillery

Date of birth: 25th December 1907
Date of death: 11th June 1940

Killed in action aged 32
Buried at St Valery-en Caux Franco British Cemetery Row D Grave 16
He was born at Sidcup, Kent on the 25th of December 1907, the second son of Thomas Stanley Dawkins, stockbroker, and Agnes Mary Sachs (nee Potter) of 'The Carlops', Elm Road, Sidcup. He was christened at the Church of St John the Evangelist, Sidcup on the 8th of February 1908.

He was educated at Merton Court Preparatory School and at the King's School Canterbury from January 1922 to December 1924, where he was a member of the Officer Training Corps.

He enlisted in the Royal Artillery and rose to the rank of Lance Bombardier before being commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the 91st (4th London) Field Regiment, Royal Artillery on the 17th of June 1929. He was promoted to Lieutenant on the 17th of June 1932 and to Captain on the 15th of November 1938.

By June 1940 his unit was part of the 51st Highland Division which was fighting a rearguard action at St Valery-en-Caux.

Whilst surveying gun positions near Fécamp Thomas Dawkins along with his driver, Sergeant John Pickup, and another NCO, ran into a Wehrmacht machine gun unit and tank. They came under fire and Dawkins was severely wounded in the arm. The two NCO's gave him first aid and delivered him to the dressing station at St Valery where it is thought that he succumbed to his wounds.

The 51st Division surrendered on the 12th of June 1940.

He is commemorated on the war memorial at Bexley, Kent and on the memorial at Merton Court Preparatory School.
Langley House

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