205914 Sjt. Charles Casio Lawrence MM.British Army 7th (Service) Battalion Rifle Brigade from:Homerton (d.12th Oct 1917) He is my Grandfather's Uncle, born to a working class family in Hackney in 1894. He had several jobs culminating in being a plasterer's mate in 1911 and living in a very small back street flat with his mother.
Come the outbreak of war in 1914 he must have joined the patriotic crowds and volunteered on 31/8/1914. He was posted to the 7th RB and trained around Aldershot and Churt in Surrey. The battalion marched out of their final training camp on 19 May 1915 and on 20th May entered the rest camp upon arrival in France.
Charley was in C Company, one of whose officers was Lt Talbot, son of the Bishop of Winchester and the inspiration for the Toc H movement which sprang up during the war as a rest and relaxation centre for troops around Ypres.
He would have been heavily involved in the carnage at Hooge Crater on 30 July 1916 where Lt Talbot was killed and the battalion suffered heavy casualties. They had been relieved after a tour in the front line and marched back to the rest area. Within an hour they received orders to be ready to return to the front and within two hours were returning, heavily laden with rations and as much ammunition as they could carry. Soon after 1pm they counter attacked the German positions but failed no one got within each of the enemy. As to casualties the war diary states" ...A current casualty list is very hard to prepare without details from the clearing stations and owing to many being killed and wounded beyond reach at present - the following is approximate - Officers, missing 1,killed 6,wounded 4, shock 1. during the week the Batt'n has lost 8 officers killed, 1 missing 7 wounded. All the Captains and 2nd in commands of Coys are amongst these. casualties in Other Ranks cannot be computed yet. Roughly 300 on 30 July."
Charley initially seems to have been 'a bit of a lad' but must have settled down and in December 1916 was gazetted for the award of the Military Medal. This was possibly won for actions during the Battle of Flers Courcellete on 15th September 1916. My Grandfather remembers that he was awarded it for "chucking hand grenades at the Germans"
At about this time he was fairly rapidly promoted to Sergeant. Charley appears to have suffered shell shock several times in this later period. From what can be deduced from his record he never returned to England after marching out in 1915.
The day of his death, 12 October 1917 seems to have been a very ordinary day for the battalion. Nothing of note is recorded by the battalion war diary, just a matter of fact entry recording the day's casualties.
Rest in Peace Uncle
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