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20145 Private Lawrence Hayhurst



Lawrence Hayhurst was the eldest of four children born to John and Elizabeth Hayhurst and in the 1911 Census, the family were living at 9 Brownlow Street, Clitheroe.


Lawrence was recorded as being 13 years old, single and an Apprentice Joiner. In his spare time, Lawrence was a chorister at St. Mary’s Parish Church, Clitheroe, and he also enjoyed playing and watching cricket at Church Meadow where he became a member of the 2nd Eleven for Ribblesdale Wanderers Cricket Club.


Moving forward to the Great War and Lawrence enlisted with the 1st Battalion Kings Own Scottish Borderers at Clitheroe on June 1st 1915. 20145 Private Lawrence Hayhurst and the men of the 1st Kings Own Scottish Borderers came under the orders of 87th Brigade of the 29th Division. Lawrence would disembark at Gallipoli on September 24th 1915 and was involved in the now famous withdrawal from the Peninsula on January 6th 1916.


In a letter home, Lawrence tells of how buckets of water were used to fire rifles which gave the impression to the Turks that the British and Allied lines were still manned, whilst in fact, the troops had been evacuating the lines from 4am. From Gallipoli, Lawrence was initially posted approximately 10 miles outside of Cairo, Egypt, and he says that he hadn’t been lucky enough to visit or see the great pyramids.


Soon afterwards, the 1st KOSB’s were posted at a small port at the end of the Suez Canal but he wasn’t allowed to tell you what the place was called. Lawrence goes on to say that it is a horrible place because the weather was so hot during the day and very cold at night and that the natives were a horrible and lazy lot! Whilst stationed here, Lawrence says that he particularly enjoyed going for a morning swim in the Suez Canal.



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)



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