Born 20 January, 1916. The son of Mrs. M. H. Lawrence, of 138 Park St., Chatham. Lawrence had attended Queen Mary Public School and the Chatham Collegiate Institute. When the war broke Donald was attending the University of Western Ontario in his final year of his course in Arts. He was married in September of 1940 to Miss Barbara Peters and they had one son Peter. He was a member of Park Street United Church.

He joined the First Kent’s Regt. as a Lieut. He trained with the Regt, at many locations in Canada including London, Halifax, Niagara Falls, New Westminster BC and Terrace, BC. Lieut. went overseas in May of 1942 as a ‘reinforcement officer’ in the RCR.  

One week after his arrival in Italy in October 1942, he was made the Transportation Officer” and went to north Africa on the 21^st of December. Colonel Codlin his former commander of the Kent Regt. spoke highly of the young officer. “Don Lawrence was a very capable officer, popular with everyone who knew him. He held the confidence, respect and admiration of his men and fellow officers.   Formerly with the First Kent Regt. on the west coast. Lieutenant W. D. Lawrence had arrived overseas.

This young officer celebrated his 28^th  birthday in January. He  was KIA 10/05/1944, while serving with the Royal Canadian Regt  while acting as liaison officer. His wife receive the notification of his death and she had to notify his mother.

Donald’s mother at the time he was serving overseas, was serving as the Camp Mother of the Farm Service Board camp near Harrow where some 70 boys where housed as farm workers. It was Lieut. Lawrence’s wife brought the sad news of his being killed. Also survived by his grandmother, Mrs. (Rev.) G. W. Henderson of Chatham. CDN 27/05/44

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Sources

IODE(P), , CCI-RH, CDN (3), BT, CWGC

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