London – January 2019. The Delegation of Great Britain and Ireland of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of St George notes with much sadness the passing in London on 31 January 2019 aged 81, of Air Vice-Marshal David Hawkins-Leth.
The Air Vice-Marshal was appointed a Knight Commander of the Royal Order of Francis I by decree of HRH Prince Ferdinand, Duke of Castro and Grand Master in November 2006 and invested at a ceremony held at Westminster Cathedral.
Born in Streatham on 5 April 1937, David was educated at Worth School and Downside and later joined the RAF in 1955 as a gunner in the RAF Regiment. His infantry training was at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. In 1971, he was appointed as the officer commanding No. 37 Squadron RAF Regiment,based at RAF Catterick in North Yorkshire which had frequent deployments to Northern Ireland. In 1974, he was the officer commanding the Queen’s Colour Squadron (QCS).
After his RAF service, Hawkins served as a Gentleman Usher to the Queen (invested in 1994), and as a Yeoman Usher of the Black Rod at the Palace of Westminster between 1993 and 1998. David also served as a Deputy Lord Lieutenant for Greater London and was active in several charitable causes associated with the military and the Catholic Church including the Battle of Britain Trust and the Constantinian Order in Great Britain.
David Hawkins-Leth was married three times; first to Wendy Harris (1965–1981), secondly to Elaine Nelson (1982–1997), and thirdly, in 1998, to Karen Hansen-d’Leth – a London based Danish dentist who survives David together with a son and daughter from his first marriage.
Requiescat in pace. Rest in peace. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a hanam.