Geburtsjahr: 1892

Geburtsort: Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

Letzter bekannter Wohnsitz: Kogarah, New South Wales, Australia

Beruf: Telegraphist

Religion: Congregationalist

Land: Australia

Truppe: Australian Imperial Force

Rang: Private

Dienstnummer: 3545

Einberufung datum: 24/09/1915

Einberufung ort: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Einheiten:  —  Australian Divisional Signal Company, 1st Coy.  (Letzte bekannte Einheit)

Sterbedatum: 04/10/1917

Sterbeort: Retaliation Farm, Zonnebeke, Belgien

Todesursache: Im Kampf gefallen

Alter: 25

British War Medal Medaille

Victory Medal Medaille

Havelock Bramwell Leonard Lawrenson, a former telegraphist, was born in 1894 in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. He was the son of Ralph and Emily Lawrenson. On September 24, 1915 he enlisted in Sydney and embarked from Sydney on board HMAT A60 Aeneas on December 20, 1915, with the 8th reinforcement of the 17th Battalion, part of the 5th Australian Brigade of the 2nd Australian Division.

On the 4th of October 1917, the 2nd Australian Divisional Signal Company participated in the Battle of Broodseinde Ridge, which was a phase in the Third Battle of Ypres. According to the war diary of the 2nd Division, its task on that day was to maintain inter-communication within the divisional area. The movements of the 2nd Australian Division Signal Company are not well documented, so it is difficult to say in which circumstances Private Lawrenson died.

Havelock Bramwell Leonard, aged 25, was killed in action on October 4, 1917. Private Lawrenson was found after the war where he fell, near Retaliation Farm (28.D.28.d.20.65). Several witnesses in his Red Cross Wounded and Missing File state that he was hit by a shell and died instantaneously. One of those witnesses further claims that Private Lawrenson was at that time on a mission to relieve an amplify and power buzzer station. His remains were exhumed and reinterred at Buttes New British Cemetery; Plot 18, Row C, Grave 14.

2nd Australian Division Signal Company (Australian War Memorial, Campbell (AWM), AWM4 22/12/10). https://www.awm.gov.au/ Verwendete Quellen

Australian Red Cross Wounded and Missing Enquiry Bureau (Australian War Memorial, Campbell (AWM), RCDIG1064166). https://www.awm.gov.au/ Verwendete Quellen

First Australian Imperial Force Personnel Dossiers, 1914-1920 (National Archives of Australia, Canberra (NAA), B2455). https://www.naa.gov.au/ Verwendete Quellen

Unit embarkation nominal rolls, 1914-18 War (Australian War Memorial, Campbell (AWM), AWM8). https://www.awm.gov.au/ Verwendete Quellen

Virtual War Memorial Australia, courtesy of Faith Jones https://vwma.org.au/ Verwendete Quellen

Commonwealth War Graves Commission Database https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/480329

Lives of the First World War (Imperial War Museum) https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/7510358

Namenlijst (In Flanders Fields Museum) https://namenlijst.org/publicsearch/#/person/_id=28a27bfa-563a-49f4-a0af-4537311f198c

The AIF Project (UNSW Canberra) https://www.aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=172075