Henry Hawtrey

Although he was he winner of both the one- and two-mile races at the annual cadets meeting at the Royal Military Academy in 1899, prior to the 1906 Olympics the highlight of the track career of Lt. Henry Hawtrey of the Royal Engineers, London AC and Ireland had been the AAA mile championship of 1902. In a memorable race, the great Alfred Shrubb had to retire after setting too fast a pace over the first two laps and Hawtrey, who was only six days past his 20th birthday, took over and led until the final turn before Joe Binks went past him to win by two yards in the new British record time of 4:16.8 seconds. In second place, Hawtrey was given an estimated time of 4:17.0 seconds which equaled the previous British record.

Hawtrey achieved little of note in the years immediately following his great run against Bins but he was selected for the 1,500 metres and the 5 miles at the 1906 Olympic Games. In the longer event, despite an injured ankle, he went to the front after 2 miles and gradually extended his lead to win by 50 yards form John Svanberg of Sweden. Hawtrey did not finish in his heat of the 1,500 metres in Athens.

After an education at Uppingham and the RMA, Woolwich, Hawtrey, the fifth son of Rev. H. C. Hawtrey, was commissioned into the Royal Engineers in 1900 and in World War I he was awarded the DSO and the CMG. He then spent some 15 years in West Africa and India and was mentioned in dispatches in the Afghan War of 1919. He transferred to the Royal Corps of Signals in 1920 and in 1925 became Commandant of the Signal Training Centre in India and from 1926-30 was the signal-officer-in-chief for the Army HQ in India. Up to 1930 he was the chief signal officer of the Aldershot Command. In 1931 Brigadier Hawtrey was appointed an ADC to King George V but relinquished the post when he retired from the Army in 1934. In September 1939 he rejoined the Colors on the outbreak of war, but in 1942 he finally retired.

Personal Bests: 1500 – 4:05.4 (1908); Mile – 4:17.0e (1902); 3 miles – 15:01.4 (1906); 5 miles – 26:11.8 (1906).