Formerly known as Folkestone New Cemetery, Hawkinge is now the main cemetery for the Shepway area. It is close to the site of an aerodrome of great strategic importance in WW2 which was used as a refuelling base for operations in France and the evacuation from Dunkirk in 1940. The aerodrome was a fighter squadron base, and was so badly damaged by German bombing and machine guns that it had to be abandoned for a while after the Battle of Britain. Because of the closeness of the cemetery to the airfield, there are 95 graves of British and Allied servicemen, mostly airmen, of whom about a quarter were killed during the Battle of Britain. There are 59 German war graves in a group at the south east corner.

Along the Eastern edge of Plot JJ within Hawkinge Cemetery, stands a white cross and stone block on which is inscribed the following:-

"THE HUMAN REMAINS INTERRED HERE WERE REMOVED IN 1961 FROM THE CHURCHYARD OF CHRIST CHURCH FOLKESTONE. THE CHURCH WAS DESTROYED BY EMEMY ACTION IN 1942 AND THE SITE WAS LAID OUT AS A GARDEN BY THE FOLKESTONE CORPORATION. THE MEMORIALS WHICH REMAINED ARE PLACED HERE AND ALL NAMES ARE RECORDED IN A BOOK OF REMEMBERANCE IN THE CHAPEL."

The records submitted to Somerset House by the Folkestone Corporation show the following:-

60 graves were re-opened

The remains of 72 people were removed and re-interred in Hawkinge Cemetery

58 of these were identified

14 were unidentified

The Folkestone Corporation also removed headstones from Christ Church and re-erected them in Hawkinge Cemetery. Some were broken up and buried at Christ Church as follows:-

33 headstones were re-erected at Hawkinge Cemetery

18 headstones were broken up and buried at Christ Church

4 were described as illegible

2 were described as obliterated