SIRES, Laurence Samuel
| Service Number: | S76969 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 27 April 1942 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 10th (SA) Battalion Volunteer Defence Corps (VDC) |
| Born: | Balaklava, South Australia, 19 October 1891 |
| Home Town: | Hoyleton, Wakefield, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Farmer |
| Died: | Hamley Bridge, South Australia, 26 August 1977, aged 85 years, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
Enfield Memorial Park, South Australia Anglican, Row AP, Site Number 12 |
| Memorials: |
World War 2 Service
| 27 Apr 1942: | Involvement Private, S76969, 10th (SA) Battalion Volunteer Defence Corps (VDC) | |
|---|---|---|
| 27 Apr 1942: | Enlisted Blyth, SA | |
| 27 Apr 1942: | Enlisted Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Private, S76969 | |
| 2 Jan 1946: | Discharged |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Trevor Pyatt
Biography of Lawrence Samuel Sires
Early Life
Lawrence Samuel Sires was born on 19 October 1891 at Mount Templeton, South Australia, the son of William Henry Sires and Mary Ann (née Powell). He grew up in the Gilbert district near Balaklava, where his family was engaged in farming
Marriage and Family
On 3 December 1913, Lawrence married Jean Toseland Phillis, daughter of Albert Phillis and Jane Toseland, at the residence of A. Phillis, Mount Templeton. The couple lived in the Hoyleton–Balaklava district and raised four children:
Albert Maxwell Sires (b. 22 April 1914)
Adrienne May Sires (b. 22 August 1920)
Jean Blanche Sires (b. 14 September 1923)
John Harvey Sires (b. 7 August 1925)
Occupation
Like his father before him, Lawrence worked as a farmer, based at Hoyleton in the Clare district of South Australia.
Military Service – World War II
Although already 50 years old at the outbreak of the Second World War, Lawrence volunteered for service in the Volunteer Defence Corps (VDC), Australia's equivalent of the Home Guard.
Enlistment: 27 April 1942 at Blyth, South Australia
Service Number: S76969
Rank: Private
Unit: 10th (South Australian) Battalion, Volunteer Defence Corps
Medical: Classified Class B1 due to age and prior operations (appendicitis and gallstones) but deemed fit for home service
Service history:
28 May 1942 – Taken on strength, 7th Battalion VDC
24 July 1942 – Transferred to 10th Battalion VDC
2 January 1946 – Discharged, due to the disbandment of the Volunteer Defence Corps
The VDC was formed in 1940 under the command of the Returned Sailors, Soldiers and Airmen's Imperial League of Australia (RSSAILA) and later taken over by the Army. It consisted mainly of WWI veterans and men too old for active overseas service, tasked with local defence, infrastructure protection, and training.
Later Life and Death
Lawrence and Jean remained at Hamley Bridge in later years. Jean Toseland Sires passed away on 15 July 1969, aged 75. Lawrence survived her by three years, dying on 26 August 1972 at the age of 80.
Both were buried together at Enfield Memorial Park, South Australia, in the Anglican section, Row AP, Sites 11–12. Their shared headstone commemorates them side by side.
Summary
Name: Lawrence Samuel Sires
Born: 19 October 1891, Mount Templeton, South Australia
Parents: William Henry Sires & Mary Ann Powell
Married: 3 December 1913 to Jean Toseland Phillis
Children: Albert Maxwell, Adrienne May, Jean Blanche, John Harvey
Occupation: Farmer
Service: Private, S76969, 10th Battalion Volunteer Defence Corps (1942–1946)
Died: 26 August 1972, aged 80, Hamley Bridge
Burial: Enfield Memorial Park, South Australia
Biography by Trevor Pyatt 4/09/2025