Name
Lawrence Edward Russell
10 June 1892
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
24/08/1914
22
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Lieutenant
Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment)
2nd Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Searched but not found
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
HAUTRAGE MILITARY CEMETERY
I. A. 5.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
SURSUM CORDA
UK & Other Memorials
Harmer Green & Digswell Memorial, Harmer Green,
St John's Church Memorial Plaque, Digswell,
Haileybury College Memorial, Hertford Heath,
Not on the Little Amwell memorials
Pre War
Lawrence Edward Russell was born on 10 Jun 1892 in Little Amwell, Hertfordshire, the son of William Ernest and Margaret Susan Russell, and baptised on 12 July 1892 at Great Amwell, Herts.
On the 1901 Census the family were living at Haileybury, Great Amwell where his father was Bursar of Haileybury College. He was educated at Haileybury College, Great Amwell, 1906–10. By 1911 he had joined the Army and was a Gentleman Cadet at the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, Surrey and in 1912 had joined the West Riding Regiment as a 2nd Lieutenant. He was said to be living at Bryn[e], Digswell, at the time of his death (according to probate).
His mother later lived at Lane End. Sawbridgeworth, Herts., however we have yet to find any direct connection for Lawrence.
Wartime Service
He was already a serving soldier at the outbreak of war, with the 2nd Battalion Duke of Wellington’s (West Riding) Regiment, which landed at Le Havre on 16 August 1914.
He was killed in action 8 days later at the Battle of Mons when the Regiment did not get the order to withdraw from Wasnes and lost 400 casualties, but held at bay a German brigade of 6 battalions.
Additional Information
His mother, Mrs M S Russell of Lane End, Sawbridgeworth, Herts, ordered his headstone inscription: "SURSUM CORDA".
Brother of Captain David Leslie Russell killed in action on 23 May 1915.
He seems to have only been eligible for 1 day's pay, 6s 6d, payable to his mother, but his estate received a war gratuity of £40. Probate was granted in London on 24 September 1932 to Anthony Smithson Russell, accountant (his younger brother) with effects of £3135 3s 5d. N.B. his mother died 9 August 1932 and probate of her estate, and that of his brother David, is listed on the same page of the index.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Jonty Wild, www.ourwelwyngardencity.org.uk,
