Hawker, Cecil

Cecil Frank Hawker, the son of James Andrew (1878-1938) and Mary Ellen (nee Kivell) (1876-1946) was born in New Plymouth on 21 July 1918. He served as a RNZAF Flying Officer during World War Two and saw action over Burma.

In 1944 he was forced to bail out of his aircraft over the jungle in Burma and while unharmed, then endured a 10-day trek out of the jungle, helped by local tribespeople.

Before the war he worked for New Zealand Railways and after the war he worked as a crane driver. He married Rona Beatrice Hawker in 1941 and had one child, Rex Hawker. He died on 28 July 1984 and is buried in the Te Henui Cemetery.