Brian Turner Tom Lawrence
Encyclopedia
Brian Turner Tom Lawrence VC
(9 November 1873 - 7 June 1949) was an English
recipient of the Victoria Cross
, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British
and Commonwealth
forces.
, Worcestershire
, the eldest of five brothers, and the son of Hannah and John Lawrence, a timber merchant of 15, Lower Park, Bewdley. Lawrence was a former pupil of King Charles I Grammar School
, Kidderminster
.
Lawrence was 26 years old, and a sergeant
in the 17th Lancers (Duke of Cambridge's Own), British Army
during the Second Boer War
when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.
and World War II
and reached the rank of lieutenant-colonel in the 18th Royal Hussars
(later 13th/18th Royal Hussars).
for Great Britain
in eventing
. He did not finish the Individual eventing (Military)
competition, also the British team did not finish the team event
.
in London.
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
(9 November 1873 - 7 June 1949) was an English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
recipient of the Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and Commonwealth
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
forces.
Details
Born in BewdleyBewdley
Bewdley is a town and civil parish in the Wyre Forest District of Worcestershire, England, along the Severn Valley a few miles to the west of Kidderminster...
, Worcestershire
Worcestershire
Worcestershire is a non-metropolitan county, established in antiquity, located in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three counties that comprise the "Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire" NUTS 2 region...
, the eldest of five brothers, and the son of Hannah and John Lawrence, a timber merchant of 15, Lower Park, Bewdley. Lawrence was a former pupil of King Charles I Grammar School
King Charles I School
King Charles I School is a voluntary controlled mixed school in the town of Kidderminster, in the Wyre Forest district of Worcestershire, England.-Present Day and OFSTED:...
, Kidderminster
Kidderminster
Kidderminster is a town, in the Wyre Forest district of Worcestershire, England. It is located approximately seventeen miles south-west of Birmingham city centre and approximately fifteen miles north of Worcester city centre. The 2001 census recorded a population of 55,182 in the town...
.
Lawrence was 26 years old, and a sergeant
Sergeant
Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent....
in the 17th Lancers (Duke of Cambridge's Own), British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
during the Second Boer War
Second Boer War
The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.
Further information
He was decorated by King Edward in London in 1902. Lawrence later served in World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and reached the rank of lieutenant-colonel in the 18th Royal Hussars
18th Royal Hussars
The 18th Royal Hussars was a cavalry regiment of the British Army, first formed in 1759. It saw service for two centuries, before being amalgamated into the 13th/18th Hussars in 1922....
(later 13th/18th Royal Hussars).
Olympics
He competed in the 1912 Summer Olympics1912 Summer Olympics
The 1912 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the V Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Stockholm, Sweden, between 5 May and 27 July 1912. Twenty-eight nations and 2,407 competitors, including 48 women, competed in 102 events in 14 sports...
for Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
in eventing
Eventing
Eventing is an equestrian event comprising dressage, cross-country, and show jumping. This event has its roots in a comprehensive cavalry test requiring mastery of several types of riding...
. He did not finish the Individual eventing (Military)
Equestrian at the 1912 Summer Olympics - Individual eventing
The individual eventing was an equestrian event held as part of the equestrian at the 1912 Summer Olympics programme. It was the first appearance of the event....
competition, also the British team did not finish the team event
Equestrian at the 1912 Summer Olympics - Team eventing
The team eventing was an equestrian event held as part of the Equestrian at the 1912 Summer Olympics programme. It was the first appearance of the event. The team score was simply the sum of the best three scores for each nation in the individual eventing competition.-Results:...
.
The medal
The medal is on display at the Lord Ashcroft VC Gallery in the Imperial War MuseumImperial War Museum
Imperial War Museum is a British national museum organisation with branches at five locations in England, three of which are in London. The museum was founded during the First World War in 1917 and intended as a record of the war effort and sacrifice of Britain and her Empire...
in London.