LAWTON, John
| Service Number: | 2202 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 17 March 1916 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 56th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Waterloo, New South Wales, Australia, 1880 |
| Home Town: | Alexandria, City of Sydney, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Labourer |
| Died: | Died of wounds, France, 10 October 1917 |
| Cemetery: |
Etaples Military Cemetery Plot XXX, Row B, Grave No. 15. |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 17 Mar 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 2202, 56th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 4 Sep 1916: | Involvement Private, 2202, 56th Infantry Battalion, Third Ypres, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '19' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Port Sydney embarkation_ship_number: A15 public_note: '' | |
| 4 Sep 1916: | Embarked Private, 2202, 56th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Port Sydney, Sydney |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Stephen Brooks
John Lawton, known as ‘Jack’, aged 36 years and 5 months when he enlisted in March 1916, was married to Gertrude Lawton. He served in the 2nd New South Wales Mounted Rifles South Africa, as 503 Trooper John Lawton 2nd NSWMR and was promoted to Lance Corporal during September 1901. He was awarded the Queen's South Africa Medal with two clasps.
John was the son of John and Ellen Lawton of Canterbury, New South Wales. His younger brother, 409 Private James Herbert Lawton 13th Battalion AIF, was killed in action at Gallipoli on 4 May 1915, age 26.
‘Jack’ arrived in France during February 1917, and suffered a gunshot wound to his thigh and buttock on 2 April 1917, serious wounds which meant evacuation to England. When he recovered, he joined the 56th Battalion during August 1917. He suffered dreadful shrapnel wounds to his back and neck during the Battle of Polygon Wood in Belgium on 26 September 1917. ‘Jack’ Lawton died of wounds over two weeks later in Etaples, France.
Gertrude had a tough time after the death of her husband, her plight was highlighted in an article in the Sydney Sun of November 1917, under the heading, ‘WAR WIDOW'S PATHETIC CASE’
“Among all the poorer classes of Sydney the unceasing need is for clothing. Bills can be met on the little money available, but there is nothing left over to buy clothes. A distressing case is that of Mrs. Gertrude Lawton, Julia's Villas, Victoria-street, Alexandria.
Her husband enlisted 14 months ago, and died of wounds on October 10. He also fought, in the Boer War. Mrs. Lawton is in a delicate state of health, and suffers badly with her nerves.
She has been receiving her husband’s pay of £5 2s 1d per fortnight, but has not yet obtained her pension. Sho pays 14 shillings a week rent for three rooms and kitchen, and bills mount up to over £2 per week. She is also in receipt of a weekly supply of vegetables from the Red Cross depot.
"And if I want to buy my boy a pair of boots," she says, “I have to cut down the grocery bill. And even then, the boots don't last much longer than the groceries would have done.”
There are five children.”
Gertrude was awarded a pension during December 1917 of 2 pounds per fortnight, and varying amounts of 1 pound down to 10 shillings per fortnight for each of her five children, hopefully easing her financial plight.
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