Lance Corporal John Lawton

Ancestor Details

Ancestor's Name: John Lawton

Ancestor's date of birth: 20/11/1880

Ancestor's date of death: 10/10/1917

Cause of Death: Wound to the spine received in WW1.

Service and Life Before the Boer War: Born at Alexandria NSW, worked as a labourer.

Service Number: 503

Colony or State of enlistment: NSW, Place of Enlistment: Sydney

Unit: Second New South Wales Mounted Rifles

Rank attained in Boer War: LCPL, Date Effective: 13/09/1901

Highest Rank attained (if served after war): PTE, Date Effective: 30/03/1916

Murray Page: 116

Contingent: Fifth New South Wales

Ship: Custodian, Date of Sailing: 17/03/1901

Memorial details: Soldier's grave XXX B 15 at Etaples Military Cemetery with 10815 others at the Pas de Calais, France. Australian War Memorial, Canberra.

Awards/Decorations/Commendations: Queen's South Africa Medal with Transvaal, SA 1901 and SA 1902 clasps. British War Medal and Victory Medal.

Personal Characteristics: 167 cm tall, weighing 65 kg, with fresh complexion, blue eyes and dark brown hair.

Reasons to go and fight: Detail not provided.

Details of service in war: April 1901 - April 1902 in west then east Transvaal.

Service and life after the Boer War: Worked as a labourer near Sydney, married Gurtrude had sons James, John and Alexander; and daughters Isabella and Elsie. Joined the AIF as a private on on 30 March 1916. Was serving with 56 Bn in France, still as a private. He was wounded in action on 20 April 1917. This wound in the thigh saw him in hospital in England and out of action 'till 18 August 1917. A further wounding on 27 September 1917 was fatal. His spine was fractured, he died on 10 October 1917. Initially buried at Etaples Military Cemetery.

Descendant Details

Name of Descendant: Albert Edward Lawton, Sussex Inlet NSW
Relationship to Ancestor: Grandson

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