Name
Arthur Leslie Lawrence
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
04/10/1917
19
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
42371
Lincolnshire Regiment
1st Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Not Yet Researched
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
TYNE COT MEMORIAL
Panel 35 to 37 and 162 to 162A.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Not on the Sawbridgeworth memorials, Rolls of Honour of King Edward’s School, Witley
Pre War
Arthur was the son of Fred and Edith Lawrence, at sometime of Dunelm, Upper Longdon, Rugeley, Staffs. Arthur is recorded as being born in Sawbridgeworth.
Fred was a ‘Butcher, Slaughterer and Shopkeeper’. The family must have been quite wealthy, as Arthur was sent to private boarding school for his education, attending King Edward’s School, Witley, Surrey, where he was remembered for his paintings of flowers.
In 1910 Arthur’s father died and in 1914 Arthur was living at Rugeley in Staffordshire with his mother who came from there and was working as a Gardener when he enlisted in Stafford.
Wartime Service
Arthur was formerly 36463 in the North Staffordshire Regiment, but was later transferred to the 1st Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment.
In autumn 1917, Arthur’s Battalion was in the area of Ypres, fighting in the Passchendaele offensive. The 4 October 1917 saw the Battle of Broodseinde. This took place in heavy rain, but was a relative success, as the British used new ‘Bite and Hold’ tactics. Casualties were still high though, one of whom was Arthur Lawrence. He was killed in action and has no known grave. He was aged just 19.
Arthur Lawrence is named on the Tyne Cot Memorial, Belgium, and in the Rolls of Honour of King Edward’s School, Witley.
Acknowledgments
Jonty Wild, Douglas Coe
