SERVICE PERSON RESEARCH
SERVICE PERSON DETAILS
Service Person’s
Name
William Clifton Lawrence
Rank
Private
Service Number
2831A
Regiment/Unit or
Ship or Squadron
Date of Birth
Place of Birth
Family Details
38th, 10th, 67th and 39th Australian Infantry Battalions
Age at Enlistment
6 September 1896
Mulwala, New South Wales
Single
Second son of nine Children
From a large Catholic farming family
Parents: Nelson Lawrence and Catherine Hendy
21 years and 2 months
Place of Enlistment
Melbourne, Victoria
Date of Death
6 April 1918
Place of Death
Villers Bretonneux
Cemetery or
Memorial Name
Grave or Memorial
Number
Heilly Station Cemetery, Merincourt, Somme
Plot 4, Row J, Grave 12
PHOTO:
Photo of William Clifton Lawrence (circa 1916) and his grave marker at Heilly Station Cemetery (circa 1919)
- these photos are hanging in the family homestead
Source: Lawrence Family - Mulwala
SERVICE PERSON’S STORY/EULOGY:
Prepared by Nicole Scotti
I would like to take this opportunity to pay my respects to Private William Clifton Lawrence who is my
Great, Great Uncle.
William was born in Mulwala, New South Wales on 6 September 1896. He was the second son in a large
farming family. William was known to his family and friends as Bill, and from what little I can gather from
records kept by family now deceased, he was a bit of a larrikin and fiercely loyal to his family and friends.
Bill joined the Australian Infantry Battalion in Melbourne on 25 September 1916, at 21 years and 2 months
of age. Bill left Australia to join the war in Europe on HMAS Medic on 16 December of the same year. Bill
served in France in the 38th, 10th, 67th and lastly the 39th Australian Infantry Battalions.
Along with Bill to fight in Europe went his younger brother Lawrence Samuel Lawrence, and Bill's best mate
James Corbett. Lawrence and James made it back to Australia when the war ended, although James lost a
leg during active service. When he returned home James married one of Bill's sisters (Maude) and officially
became a member of the family. Lawrence made it home physically, if not emotionally, unscathed.
Unfortunately Bill was not so lucky, and on 6 April 1918, just before the war ended, Bill was hit by a mortar
shell while leaving his bunker and entering the trenches. He was reported as having died instantly of head
injuries. Members of his battalion are recorded as having taken him to Heilly Station Cemetery, burying
him there, and erecting the initial cross to mark his grave.
Private William Clifton Lawrence, we will always remember you and the sacrifice you have made for us.
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Australian War Memorial 2015, Dawn of the Legend
http://www.awm.gov.au/exhibitions/dawn/plan/landing.asp (accessed 5 September 2014)
Australian War Memorial 2015, Red Cross Wounded and Missing: William Clifton Lawrence
http://www.awm.gov.au/people/rolls/R1495269 (accessed 5 September 2014)
Australian War Memorial 2015, Roll of Honour: William Clifton Lawrence
https://www.awm.gov.au/people/rolls/R1639268/ (accessed 5 September 2014)
Bing Images 2015, ANZACS at war photos - Bing Images
http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=ANZACS+at+war+photos (accessed 5 September 2014)
Manchester, R. (2014). 404. Cwgc.org
http://www.cwgc.org/findacemetery/cemetery/27100/HEILLY%20STATION%20CEMETERY,%20MERICOUR
T-L'ABBE (accessed 5 September 2014)
National Archives of Australia - LAWRENCE William Clifton: Service Number – 2831
http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/NameSearch/Interface/ItemDetail.aspx?Barcode=7377775
(accessed 5 September 2014)
National library of Australia 2015, 30 Aug 1916 - WOMEN TO WOMEN. THE CRY OF THE CHILDREN; WATTLE
DAY APPEAL http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article1616373 (accessed 5 September 2014)
War History Online.com 2014, Fighting from the Trenches in France
http://www.warhistoryonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/British-French-and-Australian-and-NewZealand-Army-Corps-ANZACs-infantrymen-fighting-from-the-trenches-in-France.jpg
(accessed 5 September 2014)