Gunner HARRY JOHN LAWRENCE (photo added)



Rank | Gunner |
Forenames | HARRY JOHN |
Surname | LAWRENCE (photo added) |
Initials | H J |
Place of Birth | Unknown |
Date of Birth | Thursday, 21 June 1923 |
Date of Death | Tuesday, 11 July 1944 |
Age | 21 |
Nationality |
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Residence or Entered Service From | COLLIERS WOOD, SURREY, UNITED KINGDOM |
Service Number | 14268506 | Force |
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Service/Corps/Regiment | Royal Artillery |
Unit / Ship / Battalion / Squadron | 94 (The Dorset and Hampshire Yeomanry) Field Regiment |
Military Honours and Awards | |
Place of Burial/Commemoration |
BROUAY WAR CEMETERY
Roll of honour |
Grave/Memorial Location | V. B. 9. |
Previous Place(s) of Burial | Unknown |
Epitaph | YOURS IS THE SUNSHINE, OURS IS THE SHADOW |
Family Details | SON OF JOHN CHARLES AND JEAN AINSLIE LAWRENCE, OF COLLIERS WOOD, SURREY. |
Additional Information
HARRY JOHN LAWRENCE was one of two non-identical twins who were both serving in the 94 (The Dorset and Hampshire Yeomanry) Field Regiment of the Royal Artillery. His twin was James Harding Lawrence.
HARRY was killed aged 21 on 11th July 1944 when he, the family were told, and 4 other men were in a 'trench on a beach' and a shell landed right on them killing them all outright. His twin brother, James harding Lawrence, was further down the beach and survived.
James never recovered from the ordeal, and despite surviving well into his 60's, he was never right again. He initially went AWOL in France for a few weeks, but was forgiven given the extreme circumstance of losing his twin. After the army, he was a bit of a drifter and was, unfortunately, unable to hold down a job for any length of time.
The twin brothers also had a younger brother, Arthur Lawrence, who was 9 years younger. He married Beryl Imogen Hopper on the 7th September 1963. They had two children Paul and Katie. Arthur Lawrence passed away in November 2013, aged 81 years, 2 months after celebrating his 50th wedding anniversay.1
to his mother, undated.
References |
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1. | information,photographs and documents, unless otherwise credited, kindly provided by Katie Fernandes, niece of Gunner HAROLD JOHN LAWRENCE and daughter of Arthur Lawrence. |
Acknowledgements and Credits |
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Source of original data: | Commonwealth War Graves Commission |
Headstone photograph: | Carl Shilleto |
Cross marker photograph: | Katie Fernandes, niece of Gunner HAROLD JOHN LAWRENCE and daughter of Arthur Lawrence. |
Individual photograph: | Katie Fernandes, niece of Gunner HAROLD JOHN LAWRENCE and daughter of Arthur Lawrence. |
Additional photographs provided by: | Katie Fernandes, niece of Gunner HAROLD JOHN LAWRENCE and daughter of Arthur Lawrence and Carl Shilleto. |
Additional information provided by: | Katie Fernandes, niece of Gunner HAROLD JOHN LAWRENCE and daughter of Arthur Lawrence. |
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