18 replies to this topic

[Steve Knox]

Hi All,
This is about my fourth post trying to find out about the military service of a relative of my wife George Henry Lawson. He survived the war dying in 1953, being born in Somerby Lincolnshire in 1896, living in Eaton near Retford Notts in 1901 and West Drayton also near Retford in 1911 whilst his parents were living at Ravenfield Farm near Rotherham. His cousins James and Harry Lawson were in the Lincolnshire Regiment and were both killed and have I believe interesting GWF posts. I have been following family rumour through George Henry Lawson being in the Lincolnshire, Sherwood Foresters or the KOYLIs and have come up with nothing. On a post whilst chasing a connection I was provided with all National Archives entries for George Henry Lawson but none of these are him.

Finally a family contact has suggested he was in the Yorks and Lancaster Regiment. There is no MIC, Attestation papers etc I have found so I am asking for assistance from regimental records as to whether anyone can let me know whether they can track him down in this regiment?

Thanks as always for your assistance.

Steve

[odin432]

Hi Steve
I have found a MIC for a George Lawson 3/3161 York & Lancs Regiment,
Victory Medal
British War Medal
1915 Star
Silver War Badge, roll number o/5007/2
Theater of war 2B Gallipoli
Date of entery 27/09/1915

Also a MIC for George H Lawson,
Linconshire Regiment, Pte 53181
Victory Medal
British War Medal

Both found on Ancestry.com
Dave

[Steve Knox]

odin432, on 04 April 2012 - 12:08 PM, said:

Hi Steve
I have found a MIC for a George Lawson 3/3161 York & Lancs Regiment,
Victory Medal
British War Medal
1915 Star
Silver War Badge, roll number o/5007/2
Theater of war 2B Gallipoli
Date of entery 27/09/1915

Also a MIC for George H Lawson,
Linconshire Regiment, Pte 53181
Victory Medal
British War Medal

Both found on Ancestry.com
Dave

[Steve Knox]

Dave,
Thanks for the quick response. The Lincolnshire Regiment hit is an old favourite I have come across before and I know it is not my George Lawson, I cannot remember why but it may be he died during WW1 whereas mine lived until 1953. The hit on Yorks and Lancs is what I was hoping for but there is no family knowledge of serving in Gallipoli and rumours of being in the European theatre so I suspect that he is also not my George.
I am really grateful for your efforts.
Regards,
Steve

[PFF]

no george lawson listed on CWGC register

[Steve Knox]

PFF, on 05 April 2012 - 05:22 PM, said:

no george lawson listed on CWGC register

Hi,
I think that is to be expected as he was not a casualty and died in 1953. Thanks for checking.
Regards,
Steve

[odin432]

Hi Steve
The thing is that you have to go with the facts and not the family rumours as these can get distorted over time, now saying that, he died in 1958 making him 62 years old? a bit young or did he die of wounds after the conflict, do you have the death cert to tell you what he died of,
the reason I am saying this, is that a lot of people have looked (may not have posted) and not been able to come up with the facts thats that match the rumours,
My Grand Father died at the age of 75,,, reason lung problems after being gased during the war.
Now slighty of subject, but proves what I am saying, A freind at work gave me some details for his ancestor Stanley Frost of Steventon, died in 1945 at sea in a convoy, and his name is on the Steventon War Memorial, and he was in the army, thats the family history he was given,
and now the facts
Sidney James Frost, 5380664, Ox&Bucks L I, KIA 21/05/1940 at Dunkirk, the only man on CWGC thats from Seventon who was KIA during WW2, the Stanley Frost on the war memorial is Sidney Frost KIA WW1.
I did 15 mins of research for facts, he had a lifetime of rumour and distortion of facts,
Out of the Severn men of my family 4 do not have service or pension records but ALL have MICs.
Dave

[Steve Knox]

odin432, on 06 April 2012 - 03:45 AM, said:

Hi Steve
The thing is that you have to go with the facts and not the family rumours as these can get distorted over time, now saying that, he died in 1958 making him 62 years old? a bit young or did he die of wounds after the conflict, do you have the death cert to tell you what he died of,
the reason I am saying this, is that a lot of people have looked (may not have posted) and not been able to come up with the facts thats that match the rumours,
My Grand Father died at the age of 75,,, reason lung problems after being gased during the war.
Now slighty of subject, but proves what I am saying, A freind at work gave me some details for his ancestor Stanley Frost of Steventon, died in 1945 at sea in a convoy, and his name is on the Steventon War Memorial, and he was in the army, thats the family history he was given,
and now the facts
Sidney James Frost, 5380664, Ox&Bucks L I, KIA 21/05/1940 at Dunkirk, the only man on CWGC thats from Seventon who was KIA during WW2, the Stanley Frost on the war memorial is Sidney Frost KIA WW1.
I did 15 mins of research for facts, he had a lifetime of rumour and distortion of facts,
Out of the Severn men of my family 4 do not have service or pension records but ALL have MICs.
Dave

[Steve Knox]

Dave,
I find your arguments interesting about the CWGC. I must admit I thought them infallible! I have however seen the grave of George Lawson for myself and he did die in 1953.
I am still thinking the family reference to the Yorks and Lancaster Regiment may be the way forward so if anyone has access to regimental rolls I would be very grateful to see if they can track a George Henry Lawson.
Steve

[Steve Knox]

Hi all,
I have seen an original obituary of George Lawson from 1953. It confirms that he was in the Yorks and Lancaster Regiment. This is as good evidence as I can find. If anyone has access to any rolls please can you have a look before I write to the Yorks and Lancs Regimental museum at Rotherham and pay my money. I have had a response from them previously regarding another relative Jack Craven Hough (see post) but it was not as interesting as my responses from GWF!
Steve

[Chris]

Steve
George Lawson 3/3161 may be your man. Even though he goes to Gallipoli as his first point of entry into conflict, he is not discharged until January 1919. His SWB entry lists him as 6th Battalion Y and L, which would mean he had plenty of time to serve in France, after the Battalion returned from Gallipoli in i think July 1916. His SWB entry states he was discharged due to wounds and that he did serve overseas and gives his age at 23 ( i presume this is the time he was discharged rather than when he joined).

Chris

[Steve Knox]

Chris, on 01 May 2012 - 09:19 PM, said:

Steve
George Lawson 3/3161 may be your man. Even though he goes to Gallipoli as his first point of entry into conflict, he is not discharged until January 1919. His SWB entry lists him as 6th Battalion Y and L, which would mean he had plenty of time to serve in France, after the Battalion returned from Gallipoli in i think July 1916. His SWB entry states he was discharged due to wounds and that he did serve overseas and gives his age at 23 ( i presume this is the time he was discharged rather than when he joined).

Chris

[Steve Knox]

Chris,
You may have made a breakthrough for me. I don't know anything about his war service and cannot discount anything you have written. He was born in 1896 so a discharge in 1919 ties up with the age of 23. I wondered where you had sourced the SWB information please and does the source reveal anything else? I am really after Attestation papers to see his address when joining up to confirm it is my wife's grandfather George Henry Lawson.
I am going to Ypres in a couple of weeks and I know that the Rotherham Museum route is a 6 week wait and if it was him and he was in that area I would like to have some more information as to the 6th Battalion activities.
Thanks very much for your time and help.
Regards,
Steve

[Chris]

Hi Steve
I took the info from the Silver War Badge rolls on ancestry. Hope they were of help

Chris

[Steve Knox]

Chris, on 02 May 2012 - 08:30 PM, said:

Hi Steve
I took the info from the Silver War Badge rolls on ancestry. Hope they were of help

Chris

Chris,
Thanks once again, I am on with the research!
Steve

[Steve Knox]

Steve Knox, on 03 May 2012 - 05:51 PM, said:

Chris,
Thanks once again, I am on with the research!
Steve

Chris
Just spent an hour on Ancestry (the search facility is as poor as they come) and have found the MIC that you refer to but no Attestation papers etc so I don't know whether this is my George Lawson or not. I have decided to write to the Rotherham Museum who look after the Y & L Regiment quoting the details off the MIC and asking if they know anything else. As I wrote in a previous reply I have done this before for another of my relatives and found they didn't inform me of much more than I had told them. We shall see.
Thanks once again and to the other informant above who also came up with the same information.
Steve

[Steve Knox]

Dave,
A very belated thanks for the information. I think you may have got him, I was thrown by the Gallipoli connection which was never spoken about in the family, but that may be how things were! See my post to Chris where I shall be contacting the Rotherham Museum who look after the Yorks and Lancaster Regiment.
Steve

[Steve Knox]

Hi All,
I went to a family wedding at the weekend and asked someone who knew George Lawson what he knew of his war time service. Without prompting he said he served in the Dardanelles. Almost case proved this is my George Lawson!?
Steve

[Doodeychuck]

Thanks all for this, I will post a search request and photo of another ex Y&L soldier with his 'Cat and Cabbage' cap badge soon after I have done some checks using the tips given on this thread. The record I seek is my Wife's paternal Grandfather Herbert Rymer who was wounded in France.