LAWRENCE, Lawrence Howard (1891-1970)
Lawrence Howard Lawrence's birth was registered at Merino on 8 February 1891, the son of Percy Vernon Lawrence and Mary Kate nee Bateman. He was enrolled as a boarder at Geelong College in 1904. His address at the time was given as 'Vernondale', Euroa.
During World War I, he enlisted (No 19921) in the AIF on 11 March 1916 and served as a Driver with the 8th Field Artillery Brigade (31st Battery). He embarked for France on HMAT A7 Medic on 20 May 1916, where he served for a time before he complained of defective vision, diagnosed as a vitreous haemorrhage, in May 1917. His service record noted that he had bilateral detached retinas as a result of service. Lawrence was evacuated to England on Hospital Ship Saint Denis on 1 June 1917, and spent six and a half months in Harefield Hospital and 3rd London General Hospital.
He returned to Australia on RMS Osterley, embarking on 31 January 1918. He returned to farming after the war.
Sources: Based on an edited extract from Geelong Collegians at the Great War compiled by James Affleck. p 234 (citing Pegasus; National Archives).