A Collection of Medals to Second World War Casualties

Three: Sub-Lieutenant W. A. Lawrence, Royal Naval Reserve, who was lost at sea when the Q-Ship H.M.S. Cape Howe was torpedoed by the German U-boat U-28 in the Western Approaches, 21 June 1940; the 96 surviving crew members put to sea in three lifeboats and two floats and a raft, but in heavy seas they became separated and only the occupants of one boat were ever picked up

1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; War Medal 1939-45, with named Admiralty enclosure, in card box of issue, addressed to ‘Mr. W. E. Lawrence. “La Vallee”, Rozel, Jersey, C.I.’, extremely fine (3) £300-400

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Medals to Second World War Casualties.

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Wilfrid Alan Lawrence was born on 6 April 1916, and embarked upon a career in the Merchant Navy as an apprentice with the Elder Dempster Line in 1932. He earned his Second Mate’s ticket in 1936 and his First Mate’s ticket in 1938, becoming the youngest man at the time to have passed for Mate at the Liverpool Nautical College. He joined the Royal Naval Reserve and was commissioned Sub Lieutenant on 29 March 1939. He served during the Second World War in the Q-Ship H.M.S. Cape Howe. Q-ships, also known as Q-boats, decoy vessels, special service ships, or mystery ships, were heavily armed merchant ships with concealed weaponry, designed to lure submarines into making surface attacks. This gave Q-ships the chance to open fire and sink the attacking U-Boat.

Lawrence was in H.M.S. Cape Howe when she was torpedoed by U-28 at 07:50 a.m. on 21 June 1940 in the Western Approaches, approximately 100 miles west of the Scilly Isles. The submarine carried out two further attacks and from the time of the first hit to the time she sank was approximately five hours later, sinking by the bow. Lawrence was in charge of the “Panic Party”, and during the action one man was killed and another wounded. With the exception of the two dead who were left on board all of the crew, some 96 men, got away in three lifeboats, two carly floats and a raft in what were then fine weather conditions. One of the survivors, Engineer Commander E.W. Relph, states in a letter to Commander Stileman (who also lost a son on the ship) dated 23 July 1940:
‘During the night we observed flares from the other boats. We attempted to reply but found that our flares were damp and unusable. At dawn we were so far astern that the other boats were out of sight. The weather had been freshening during the night and in the early forenoon the sea became really rough. The sea increased in violence and the rope from the raft was carried away again. This time we found it impossible to make contact and we had no option but to run before the weather. Conditions continued to get worse and we had great difficulty in keeping the boat from being swamped. Your son Daniels and Lawrence were in the other two boats. They were quite fit and confident when we abandoned ship. The boats were well equipped with food and water and I consider there is a chance that they would have reached the French coast.’
A note attached to the original letter was sent by Commander Stileman from the office of the Naval Controller, Liverpool to Sub Lieutenant Lawrence’s father with the comment: ‘Pray God they may all be safe.’

The survivors from only one of the boats were rescued; the occupants of the other boats and rafts were never seen again, and their names, including that of Lawrence, are commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial.

Sub Lieutenant Lawrence’s father was given this last instruction from the Admiralty in their letter dated 15 November 1940: ‘It is most desirable in the National Interest that the loss of your son’s ship should not, as yet, be publicly announced and for this reason my Lords request that you will still continue to regard this information as confidential.’

Sub Lieutenant Lawrence’s father was the Cable Manager for the Elder Dempster Line and he continued to maintain contact with Commodore Stileman for a number of years both men sharing the loss of their sons who perished together at sea. On 21 June 1995, on the 55th anniversary of the action, Sub Lieutenant Lawrence’s surviving brother presented Wilfrid’s Naval sword to H.M.S. Eaglet Reserve Training Centre, Princess Dock, Liverpool.

Sold together with two original photographs; original letters from Naval Control Liverpool, the Admiralty, and Naval Officers Relatives Information Bureau concerning the loss of the ‘Q’ ship H.M.S. Cape Howe.