On March 11th 1916, Lawrence and his fellow soldiers of the 1st KOSB’s set sail for France and landed at Marseilles six days later. The journey was a horrible one apparently and by mid-June, the 29th Division were in action in the Somme area of France. The Battalion was held in Reserve in Acheux Wood from June 23rd and they witnessed the week-long bombardment of the enemy trenches.
At 21:00hrs on June 30th, the Battalion moved forward to the Front-line trenches in order to take part in the opening attack of the Battle of the Somme at Beaumont-Hamel the following morning. Battalion casualties for the attack were horrific and the 1st KOSB War Diary for July 1st gives figures of 20 Officers and 548 Other Ranks as being either killed, wounded or missing. It cannot be proven 100% that Lawrence was wounded during this attack but he would die of his wounds to his buttock at the 2nd Stationary Hospital, Abbeville, on July 4th 1916, aged only 19.
Lawrence is buried in plot IV. C. 12 at Abbeville Communal Cemetery, France and in his effects, Lawrence left £2 18 shillings to his mother, Elizabeth, who also received a £4 war gratuity for the loss of her son.
Lawrence was entitled to the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal. Great sadness was felt throughout Clitheroe upon hearing of the loss of Lawrence and an, “In Memorium”, article published in the Clitheroe Advertiser & Times from Lawrence’s parents read:
He nobly answered duty’s call,
His life he gave for us, and all;
But his unknown grave is the bitterest blow,
None but an aching Heart can know!
Fondly we loved him – he is dear to us still,
But in grief we must bend to God’s Holy will;
Our sorrow is great, our loss hard to bear,
But Angels, dear son, will guard you with care.
From Father, Mother, Brother and Sisters.
May you Rest in Peace Lawrence
(With credit to the Clitheroe Advertiser and Times)