b. 07/1897 Hillmorton, Warwickshire. d. ?
DATE OF AM ACTION: 02/05/1916 Hesdin, France.
Joseph was born in July 1897, one of three sons of Joseph and Rose Emma Lawrence. He was baptised in Hillmorton, Warwickshire on 22nd August 1897. By 1911, the family were living at Nortoft Farm in Kilsby, near Rugby, where Joseph was working as an errand boy. During World War I, Joseph served in the Army Service Corps as well as the Royal Warwickshire Regiment, attaining the rank of Corporal. He received the AM from King George V at Buckingham Palace on 14th February 1917. He was discharged to the Class Z Reserve on 22nd March 1919.
AM CITATION:
On 2nd May last, whilst a German 21-centimetre shell, in which several holes had’ been bored, was being “steamed” in a laboratory for the purpose of investigation, thebox of shavings in which it was packed caught fire. The officer in charge of the laboratory at once sent for help to the nearest Army Service Corps fire station, ordered all persons to leave the building, and warned the inhabitants of the neighbouring houses that a serious explosion was imminent. On receipt of the request for help, Lieutenant Rowlandson, with Walton, Anderson and Lawrence, at once collected fire extinguishers and proceeded by motor to thelaboratory. They entered the building, played on the fire (which had spread considerably), and after about two minutes were able to reach the burning shell, which they dragged into the yard and extinguished there. At any moment after the fire broke out the shell might have exploded with disastrous, results.
BURIAL LOCATION: UNKNOWN.
LOCATION OF MEDAL: ROYAL LOGISTIC CORPS MUSEUM, CAMBERLEY, SURREY.
Acknowledgement:
Terry Hissey – Image of the Lawrence’s medals at the RLC Museum.