Aiming to Remember

COMMEMORATIVE RIFLE

When Jay Hawkins acquired a war-time rifle, he decided to use it to commemorate the greatest generation – by immortalising their names on it

AT AGE 100, FRED MILLER IS THE SECOND-OLDEST VETERAN TO SIGN THE RIFLE AND STILL GOOD ON HIS FEET! HE WAS ATTACHED TO THE 7TH ARMOURED DIVISION, SERVING IN NORTH AFRICA AND THE MIDDLE EAST BEFORE LANDING ON JUNO BEACH ON D-DAY+2, LATER SEEING ACTION AT CAEN IN THE LOW COUNTRIES AND GERMANY

In August 2021, 24-year-old Jay Hawkins, of St Ives, Cambridgeshire, purchased a deactivated SMLE. Ever since, he has been a man on a mission to remember the service and sacrifice of British veterans.

With COVID-19 restrictions easing last summer, he began taking the rifle to events with veterans for them to sign it. Jay told Britain at War: “I began this project at the end of August, when it was safe for signing events to happen, and I wanted to jump on every event I could that had World War Two veterans.”

Flying Officer Bernard Gardiner, now 99, of 257 and 193 Squadrons, who completed more than 70 combat missions was the first to sign the rifle – but he won’t be the last. “I want to have as many British veterans of the war to sign it as possible, but I’ve already been very fortunate,” said Jay. “So far, 16 have signed it and more have agreed to do so.” Once filled, Jay wants to donate the signed rifle to the Imperial War Museum, and hopes that it will become an exhibit at its Duxford site, in its Land Warfare hall.