Hawkins joined the RAF in 1955 as a gunner in the RAF Regiment, but was awarded a short commission in 1956, with the commissioning becoming permanent in 1959. His infantry training was at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, with Hawkins being the last RAF officer to undergo the training there before the RAF took on training its own Regiment officers. In 1971, he was appointed as the officer commanding No. 37 Squadron RAF Regiment, then based at RAF Catterick in North Yorkshire with frequent deployments to Northern Ireland. In 1974, he was the officer commanding the Queen's Colour Squadron. Whilst in command at QCS, he and his men appeared on the Generation Game with Bruce Forsyth, where they performed their drill manoeuvres for the contestants to emulate. In 1977, he was awarded the Member of the British Empire. After being promoted to wing commander and then group captain, Hawkins undertook a number of staff posts at AAFCE and HQ Strike Command in High Wycombe, with other postings to RAF Catterick and one as the Director of Personal Services within the RAF HQ. By 1991 and in the rank of air vice-marshal, he took on the role of the Commandant-General of the RAF Regiment. In 1992, Hawkins was elevated to a Companion of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath. In 1993, Hawkins relinquished his appointment as Commandant General of the RAF Regiment, and retired from active service, being succeeded by T G Thorn.
Later career
Following retirement from the RAF, he was appointed Director of Military and Government Affairs for WDSL Aerospace Ltd, and he took on a similar post with Coltraco Ultrasonics Ltd in 2014, as well as being a member of Safe Waste and Power consultants. Hawkins was also a Gentleman Usher to the Queen, a Yeoman Usher of the Black Rod between 1993 and 1998, and a Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Greater London between 1994 and 2012. As a Yeoman Usher of the Black Rod, Hawkins was known not to be one who shirked his duties; in 1995, Hawkins sent a typed letter to Sir Geoffrey Howe instructing him to cease ongoing proceedings in the House of Lords that were being filmed in relation to a debate on the single European currency. The conference was in some unspecified way breaking the rules of the house and attending film crews were warned that they would have their media passes revoked if they broadcast the footage of the event. He was elevated to a Lieutenant in the Royal Victorian Order in 2007.
Personal life
Hawkins was married three times; first to Wendy Harris, secondly to Elaine Nelson, and thirdly, in 1998, to Karen Hansen-d’Leth, a dentist who had a surgery in Harley Street. He adopted his wife’s name as part of his surname to become Hawkins-Leth. When his wife retired, they moved to Denmark, but in ill-health, Hawkins returned to London in the last days of his life. He died on 31 January 2019.
