LAWSON, Richard Leslie Eric
| Service Number: | 5888 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 18 April 1916 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 28th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Northam, Western Australia, 27 April 1893 |
| Home Town: | Perth, Western Australia |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Clerk |
| Died: | Wounds, Graylingwell War Hospital, Chichester, Sussex, England, United Kingdom, 19 May 1917, aged 24 years |
| Cemetery: |
Chichester Cemetery, Sussex, England (Grave 121. 79) Inscription reads: One Of The Brave Sacred To The Memory Of A Brave Soldier, Chichester Cemetery, Chichester, Sussex, England, United Kingdom |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Northam Fallen, Northam Memorial Hospital |
World War 1 Service
| 18 Apr 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 5888, 28th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 13 Oct 1916: | Involvement Private, 5888, 28th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '16' embarkation_place: Fremantle embarkation_ship: HMAT Suffolk embarkation_ship_number: A23 public_note: '' | |
| 13 Oct 1916: | Embarked Private, 5888, 28th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Suffolk, Fremantle | |
| 26 Mar 1917: | Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 5888, 28th Infantry Battalion, German Withdrawal to Hindenburg Line and Outpost Villages, GSW to knee DoW England |
Help us honour Richard Leslie Eric Lawson's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Evan Evans
The summary below was completed by Cathy Sedgwick – Facebook “WW1 Australian War Graves in England/UK/Scotland/Ireland
Died on this date – 19th May…… Private Richard Leslie Eric Lawson was born at Northam, Western Australia on 27th April, 1893.
He enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) on 19th March, 1916 as a 23 year old, single, Clerk from 236 St. Georges Terrace, Perth, Western Australia.
On 10th June, 1916 Richard Leslie Eric Lawson married Alice Irene Ferguson in Perth, Western Australia.
Private Richard Leslie Eric Lawson, Service number 5888, embarked from Fremantle, Western Australia on HMAT Suffolk (A23) on 13th October, 1916 with the 7th Infantry Brigade, 28th Infantry Battalion, 16th Reinforcements & disembarked at Plymouth, England on 2nd December, 1916.
Reinforcements were only given basic training in Australia. Training was completed in training units in England. Some of these were located in the Salisbury Plain & surrounding areas in the county of Wiltshire.
He proceeded overseas to France via Folkestone on H.T. Princess Clementine on 28th December, 1916 from 7th Training Battalion, England & was posted to 2nd Australian Divisional Base Depot at Etaples, France on 29th December, 1916. Private Lawson proceeded to join his Unit on 30th December, 1916 & was taken on strength of 28th Battalion in France on 27th January, 1917.
On 10th February, 1917 Private Lawson was admitted to 5th Field Ambulance on 10th February, 1917 with Mumps then transferred & admitted to 1 ANZAC Mumps Hospital on 11th February, 1917. Private Lawson was discharged to duty on 2nd March, 1917 & rejoined his Battalion on 3rd March, 1917.
Private Richard Leslie Eric Lawson was wounded in action on 26th March, 1917 at Lagincourt. He was admitted to 5th Australian Field Ambulance on 26th March. 1917 with G.S.W. (Gunshot wound/s) to knee then transferred to No. 3 Australian Casualty Clearing Station. Private Lawson was admitted to No. 3 Australian Casualty Clearing Station on 27th March, 1917 then transferred to Ambulance Train on 29th March, 1917. He was admitted to No. 5 General Hospital at Rouen, France on 30th March, 1917. Private Lawson embarked for England on Hospital Ship St. George on 16th April, 1917.
He was admitted to Graylingwell War Hospital, Chichester, England on 17th April, 1917 with gunshot wounds to right knee. The Hospital Admissions form recorded that he was operated on – on 23rd April, 1917 with wound drained. Private Lawson was operated on again on 10th May, 1917 with a counter incision in thigh for removal of pus. On 13th May, 1917 Septicaemia developed & he was reported as seriously ill.
Private Richard Leslie Eric Lawson died on 19th May, 1917 (in afternoon) at Graylingwell War Hospital, Chichester, Sussex, England from wounds received in action in France – GSW (Gunshot wound/s) to right knee & Septicaemia.
He was buried in Chichester Cemetery, Chichester, West Sussex, England where 10 other WW1 Australian Soldiers are laid to rest.
(The above is a summary of my research. The full research can be found by following the link below)
https://ww1austburialsuk.weebly.com/chichester.html
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