Roger Hawkins (politician)

Roger Tancred Robert Hawkins GLM ICD (25 April 1915 – 3 March 1980) was a Rhodesian politician and member of Ian Smith’s cabinet in the years following Rhodesia's Unilateral Declaration of Independence.[1][2] He was one of the founder members of the Rhodesian Front.[3]

Roger Hawkins

GLM ICD
Born(1915-04-25)25 April 1915
Died3 March 1980(1980-03-03) (aged 64)
EducationBedford Modern School
Alma materKing's College London

Biography

Roger Tancred Robert Hawkins was born in Letchworth, England on 25 April 1915.[4] He was the son of Harry Bradford Tancred Hawkins and was educated at Bedford Modern School and King's College London.[5][4]

At the outbreak of World War II, Hawkins served with the Rhodesian Forces in 1939 and received his commission in Cairo in 1940.[6] He joined the 1st Battalion, Northern Rhodesia Regiment in 1941 and served in East Africa, Ceylon and Burma.[6]

After the war, Hawkins pursued business interests and, before entering politics, was an acknowledged mining expert[7] and owner in Selukwe where Ian Smith was also a prominent farmer.[8] He was elected President of the Rhodesian Mining Federation,[9] became increasingly involved in political affairs and was one of the founder members of the Rhodesian Front.[3] Following the resignation of Clifford Dupont, Hawkins was elected to the Parliament of Rhodesia on 15 September 1964 as Member of Parliament for Charter.[10]

In 1970, Hawkins was appointed Minister of Transport in Smith's Cabinet.[11] He was sworn in on 13 April 1970.[12] On 11 March 1977, at the height of the Rhodesian Bush War, Smith appointed him Minister of the newly created Ministry of Combined Operations. Hawkins also held the position of Minister of Defence.[13][14][15]

Hawkins resigned from the Rhodesian Cabinet in November 1978 on the grounds of ill health.[1][16] He died in Selukwe at the age of 64 on 3 March 1980.[1]

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References
  1. Obituary in The Times, Roger Hawkins, 8 March 1980, p.14
  2. "The Annual Obituary". google.co.uk. Retrieved 17 June 2015.
  3. "Black Mountain". google.com. Retrieved 17 June 2015.
  4. "Who's who of Rhodesia, Mauritius, Central and East Africa". google.co.uk. Retrieved 17 June 2015.
  5. Who's Who of Rhodesia, Mauritius, Central and East Africa: Supplement to the Who's Who of Southern Africa. Combined Publishers, 1967
  6. "The Annual Obituary". google.co.uk. Retrieved 17 June 2015.
  7. "Mining in Rhodesia". google.co.uk. Retrieved 17 June 2015.
  8. The Glasgow Herald, 14 April 1970
  9. "Marandellas". google.co.uk. Retrieved 17 June 2015.
  10. Source Book of Parliamentary Elections and Referenda in Southern Rhodesia 1898–1962 ed. by F.M.G. Willson (Department of Government, University College of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, Salisbury 1963)
  11. "Technology Policy and Practice in Africa". google.co.uk. Retrieved 17 June 2015.
  12. Mohr, Charles (14 April 1970). "Rhodesia to Cut Black Education". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 9 March 2018.
  13. "RHODESIA: PRIME MINISTER IAN SMITH RESHUFFLES CABINET AFTER FORMER TRANSPORT MINISTER ROGER HAWKINS APPOINTED ANTI-GUERRILLA WAS SUPREMO". itnsource.com. Retrieved 17 June 2015.
  14. "Counter-Insurgency in Rhodesia (RLE: Terrorism and Insurgency)". google.co.uk. Retrieved 17 June 2015.
  15. "Facts & Reports". google.co.uk. Retrieved 17 June 2015.
  16. "Summary of World Broadcasts". google.co.uk. Retrieved 17 June 2015.
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