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Name: HAWKSWORTH, Percival (Capt.)
Birth Date: 3 June 1894 Agra, Bengal
Death Date: 29 Sep 1928 Otley, Yorkshire
First Date: 1930
Profession: Farmer, ex-army
Area: 'Bountiful' Kiminini, Kitale, small soft drinks factory on farm called Parg Soft Drinks
Married: Ann Cartright b. 24 July 1911 Wynberg, Cape Province, S. Africa, d. 28 Mar 1985 Kenilworth, Wynberg
Children: Reginald Percival (10 Feb 1938 Calcutta, India-30 Nov 1997 Goodwood, Cape Province, S. Africa); Gerald Douglas; William Christopher John (8 July 1942 Bengal, India--12 May 1944 Tamil Nadu)
Book Reference: Red 31, Hut, Legion
War Service: Indian Army
General Information:
Re Gerald Douglas Hawksworth:
https://www.rhodesianforces.org/rhodesianforces.org/AntiTerroristOps.html On 12th January 1973 an Allouette III flown Flight Lieutenant Dick Paxton and Sergeant Rob Cuttler, whilst on a routine patrol from Rushinga spotted an abandoned Land Rover. On inspection the vehicle was found to contain the bodies of two Ministry of Lands Inspectors, Robert Edward Bland and Dennis William Sanderson who had been reported missing earlier. They had been killed by a group of ZANLA terrorists. A third man Gerald Douglas Hawkesworth had been abducted by the terrorists who were heading for Mozambique. The Rhodesian African Rifles (RAR) supported by two helicopters were immediately dispatched to follow the terrorist group. In spite of the security forces efforts Hawkesworth was taken across the border into Mozambique where he was held as a prisoner of war. He was eventually released in December 1973.
Hansard 20 Nov 1973:
LORD BARNBY asked Her Majesty's Government: whether they now can give any information as to the whereabouts of the British subject, Gerald Douglas Hawksworth, formerly employed as a surveyor in Rhodesia, who was kidnapped in early January, 1973, and is believed to be still alive and held somewhere in Tanzania.
THE MINISTER OF STATE, FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE (BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIE) Her Majesty's Government are still very concerned about Mr. Hawks-worth. We are continuing our efforts to establish his whereabouts, but unfortunately we have not yet been able to discover in which country he is being held.
Tammy Hawksworth (Gerald's daughter): My father was captured and tortured with his comrades shot to death in front of him. He was made to walk for miles across harsh terrain barefoot. He was rescued by special forces when his mother wrote to the Queen to help locate her son. He lived with nightmares the rest of his life.