Private Edward James Hawkes (Ted) of the Royal Marine Light Infantry was born on the 14th of July 1898 in Hanworth, Middlesex to Edward and Annie Hawkes (née Cooper). He was the eldest of their eleven children. 

His father, who worked as a Carman, was from from Horton, near Uxbridge and his mother was from Wigan.

Edward was working as a gardener when he enlisted on the 7th of September 1915 at the age of 17. After a period of training at Deal and Chatham from September 1915 till December 1916 he joined the crew of the Laurentic on the 12th of December 1916 just a few weeks before he lost his life when the ship struck two mines.

His body was never recovered.

A young Hanworth victim of the sinking of H.M.S. Laurentic through striking a mine off the Irish Coast at the end of last month, was Pte. Edward James Hawkes, Royal Marine Light Infantry. He was only 18, and the eldest of the eleven children of Mr. and Mrs. Hawkesk of 19 Milbourne road, Hanworth. He was a member of the local Church Lads’ Brigade and enlisted in September 1915, joining the Laurentic six weeks before the disaster.
Middlesex Chronicle 24th Feb 1917

Sources:-

Census Census Returns of England and Wales 1901 and 1911. The National Archives of the UK
National Archives  – Royal Naval Service Records
General Register Office England and Wales  www.gro.gov.uk
Board of Guardian Records and Church of England Parish Registers. London Metropolitan Archives, London.
http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk