Richard Brunel Hawes

Sir Richard Brunel Hawes (1893 – 30 December 1964) was a British physician and expert in tropical medicine.

Early life and education

Hawes was born in Iquique, Chile, South America in 1893, the son of Dr Francis Brunel Hawes. He was educated at Stonyhurst College and St Thomas' Hospital, London.

Career

Hawes joined the Royal Engineers in 1914 on the outbreak of World War I, and after returning to St Thomas' Hospital during the following year, served with the Royal Army Medical Corps from 1916 to 1919. He took part in the retreat from Mons and was mentioned in dispatches and awarded the Mons Star. He later served during the Mesopatanium campaign until 1919, and rose to the rank of captain. After the War, he became resident physician at the Old Seaman's Hospital, Greenwich. In 1926, he was appointed the first full-time professor of medicine at the King Edward VII College of Medicine, Singapore, a post he held until 1941. In 1935, he became a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians. In 1938, he was appointed a member of the government's advisory committee for medical research. He also served as professor of medicine and consulting physician to the government of the Straits Settlements, and physician to Singapore General Hospital, and Tan Tock Seng Hospital. In 1954, he received an honorary MD (Doctor of Medicine) from the University of Malaya.

Personal life and death

Hawes married Kathleen O'Neill in 1920 and they had three sons. He was created a Knight Bachelor in the 1957 Birthday Honours.