Date of death:

February 14th, 1945 (Helmond, The Netherlands)

Buried on:

Commonwealth War Cemetery Mierlo
Plot: III. Row: D. Grave: 13.

Service number:

5388510

Nationality:

British

Corporal
Royal Engineers
174 Workshop and Park Coy.
Age 27

A number of casualties occurred during a German air raid on Helmond airport, probably at 4:40 PM by an Me 262 jet aircraft. These included A. Hubenaar and A. Melis, both living on the Deurneseweg and M. Peeters, who lived on the Middendijk. In addition, at least two British people were killed at the Bridge Dump near the airport. Wildekamp and others identify the soldiers in their book 'War Airfields of Gemert Bakel Helmond' as Sapper Charles Burton and Corporal Francis Hawes. Research by Hermens shows that in any case Hawes was seriously injured in a bombing in Geldrop and died there in a British hospital. The 'Graves Concentration Report Form' indicates that both Hawes and Burton were first buried in Geldrop before being removed to the Commonwealth War Cemetery at Mierlo.

The graves of Burton and Hawes in Mierlo around 1950. Photo: Willem Klomp Archives, Helmond.

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• Photo 1: Jeroen Koppes
• - HERMENS, A., Verhalen achter de graven op het Brits Militair Kerkhof te Mierlo, Ad Hermens, Geldrop, 2019.
  - WILDEKAMP, R. e.a., Oorlogsvliegvelden van Gemert Bakel Helmond, Heemkundekring De Kommanderij, Gemert, 2011.
  - Graves Concentration Report Form Burton & Hawes, CWGC.
  - Helmondse Heem, nr. 12, lente 2011 - https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2080842/francis-joseph-hawes/

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