Orders, Decorations and Medals

Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 4 clasps, Cape Colony, Rhodesia, Transvaal, South Africa 1901 (Capt. W. E. Lawrence, S. Wales Bdrs.), good very fine £400-500

Walter Edward Lawrence was born in Monmouthshire in May 1871 and was educated at Harrow and the R.M.C. prior to being commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the South Wales Borderers in August 1892.

Advanced to Lieutenant in May 1894, Lawrence was appointed A.D.C. to Major-General Sir Frederick Carrington, K.C.B., K.C.M.G., in Gibraltar in March 1899, and accompanied the General to South Africa, where he was detached for special service in the Rhodesian Field Force in early 1900, and remained actively employed until April 1901, in which period he served in operations in Rhodesia and in the Transvaal, west of Pretoria, including the action at Elands River, and latterly in the rank of Captain. He also appears to have served as Adjutant of the 6th Imperial Bushmen prior to returning at Aldershot.

In March 1904, he transferred to the Royal Scots Greys and, having also served as Adjutant of the Royal Gloucestershire Hussars, was placed on the Reserve of Officers in January 1914. Quickly recalled on the outbreak of hostilities, he went out to France in September of the same year, and was mentioned in despatches by Field Marshal Sir John French in November 1915 (London Gazette 1 January 1916), and given the Brevet of Major (London Gazette 14 January 1916 refers).

Subsequently transferring to the Machine Gun Corps (Cavalry), Lawrence commanded No. 5 Machine Gun Squadron on the Somme in the period July-August 1916, prior to taking command of a Machine-Gun Training Centre (Cavalry). He was given the Brevet of Lieutenant-Colonel (London Gazette 1 January 1918 refers), in addition to being appointed an Officer of the French Legion of Honour and awarded the Croix de Guerre and, according to the Harrow School Register 1885-1949, he was also awarded the Italian Order of St. Maurice & St. Lazarus; sold with a file of research.