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Auction: 24002 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 217

A Great War M.C. group of three awarded to Lieutenant F. Lawson, Royal Berkshire Regiment

Military Cross, G.V.R., unnamed as issued; British War and Victory Medals (Lieut. F. Lawson.), contact marks, overall very fine (3)

Provenance:
DNW, March 2002.

M.C. London Gazette 30 July 1919:

'During the operations in front of the Whine Trench, near Fresnes, on the night of September 21st/22nd, 1918, the laying of cable was extremely difficult owing to the heavy shell fire and the state of the ground and trenches. On many occasions long gaps in the wire were cut by shell fire, but throughout the operations, by the gallantry and untiring efforts of this officer, communication was maintained between the forward companies and battalion headquarters.'

Frank Lawson was born in 1880 in Newcastle and was working as a chartered accountant when he joined the 9th Battalion, Royal Berkshire in 1914, and was commissioned 2nd Lieutenant. Promoted Lieutenant in 1916, Lawson entered France in April 1918 and joined the 1st Battalion later that month, before transferring to the 2nd Battalion that following May. He earned his Military Cross for gallantry displayed in the trenches at Fresnes while the Regiment were engaged in an ultimately successful brigade attack on German lines.

The unit proceeded to Enghien for demobilisation in February 1919 and Lawson was discharged at Dover later that month. He lived in Old Bushey, Hertfordshire with his wife Cecilia Vera Lawson and continued working as a chartered accountant, being elected a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in 1932. Lawson died of a coronary thrombosis at his home in Watford on 18 January 1940 with Cecilia present for his death, and was thereafter interred at North Watford Cemetery above his sister Bertha; sold together with copied research and photographs of his headstone.

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Sold for
£700

Starting price
£400