Harold Lawton
Encyclopedia
Professor
Harold Lawton (July 27, 1899 – December 24, 2005) was a scholar of French literature and, prior to his death, one of the last surviving veterans of World War I
in Britain.
Lawton was born in Burslem
, Stoke-on-Trent
, England
. He volunteered for military service in 1916, enlisting with Royal Welch Fusiliers
before being transferred to the Cheshire Regiment
. Upon completing training, in 1917 he was posted to the Western Front
where he was transferred again, to The East Yorkshire Regiment. The German Spring Offensive
of 1918 included an assault upon Armentiere where his unit, the 1/4th Battalion the East Yorkshires, was posted. The Germans used Hutier tactics, where stormtroopers aimed to infiltrate weak points in defences, bypassing strongly held front line areas. Troops with heavier weapons would then attack the isolated strongpoints. Lawton, with troops from the Durham Light Infantry
, did indeed become isolated in a forward trench during the assault; when they ran out of ammunition and food after three days' fighting the German advances they surrendered. He was imprisoned at a PoW
camp at the fortress of Lille and afterwards in Minden
, Germany.
After the war, he completed a Master's degree
in French at the University of Wales in Bangor, and received a doctorate in Latin and French from the Sorbonne
in 1926. He became a lecturer, then a Professor of French at the University College Southampton
. He later took the position of Professor of French, and was successively promoted within the university administration as Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Pro Vice-Chancellor, at the University of Sheffield
. He published a Handbook of French Renaissance Dramatic Theory in 1950, and Poems, Selected with Introduction and Notes (on the work of Joaquim du Bellay) in 1961.
During the Second World War
, Lawton's name featured on a German list of people to be killed if Hitler
invaded Britain.
In 1999, Lawton received the Légion d'honneur
of the French Republic, honouring his services in World War I.
He died on Christmas Eve 2005 at the age of 106.
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
Harold Lawton (July 27, 1899 – December 24, 2005) was a scholar of French literature and, prior to his death, one of the last surviving veterans of World War I
World 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...
in Britain.
Lawton was born in Burslem
Burslem
The town of Burslem, known as the Mother Town, is one of the six towns that amalgamated to form the current city of Stoke-on-Trent, in the ceremonial county of Staffordshire, in the Midlands of England.-Topography:...
, Stoke-on-Trent
Stoke-on-Trent
Stoke-on-Trent , also called The Potteries is a city in Staffordshire, England, which forms a linear conurbation almost 12 miles long, with an area of . Together with the Borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme Stoke forms The Potteries Urban Area...
, England
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...
. He volunteered for military service in 1916, enlisting with Royal Welch Fusiliers
Royal Welch Fusiliers
The Royal Welch Fusiliers was an infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Prince of Wales' Division. It was founded in 1689 to oppose James II and the imminent war with France...
before being transferred to the Cheshire Regiment
Cheshire Regiment
The Cheshire Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Prince of Wales' Division.The regiment was created in 1881 as part of the Childers reforms by the linking of the 22nd Regiment of Foot and the militia and rifle volunteers of Cheshire...
. Upon completing training, in 1917 he was posted to the Western Front
Western Front (World War I)
Following the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the German Army opened the Western Front by first invading Luxembourg and Belgium, then gaining military control of important industrial regions in France. The tide of the advance was dramatically turned with the Battle of the Marne...
where he was transferred again, to The East Yorkshire Regiment. The German Spring Offensive
Spring Offensive
The 1918 Spring Offensive or Kaiserschlacht , also known as the Ludendorff Offensive, was a series of German attacks along the Western Front during World War I, beginning on 21 March 1918, which marked the deepest advances by either side since 1914...
of 1918 included an assault upon Armentiere where his unit, the 1/4th Battalion the East Yorkshires, was posted. The Germans used Hutier tactics, where stormtroopers aimed to infiltrate weak points in defences, bypassing strongly held front line areas. Troops with heavier weapons would then attack the isolated strongpoints. Lawton, with troops from the Durham Light Infantry
Durham Light Infantry
The Durham Light Infantry was an infantry regiment of the British Army from 1881 to 1968. It was formed by the amalgamation of the 68th Regiment of Foot and the 106th Regiment of Foot along with the militia and rifle volunteers of County Durham...
, did indeed become isolated in a forward trench during the assault; when they ran out of ammunition and food after three days' fighting the German advances they surrendered. He was imprisoned at a PoW
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
camp at the fortress of Lille and afterwards in Minden
Minden
Minden is a town of about 83,000 inhabitants in the north-east of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. The town extends along both sides of the river Weser. It is the capital of the Kreis of Minden-Lübbecke, which is part of the region of Detmold. Minden is the historic political centre of the...
, Germany.
After the war, he completed a Master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
in French at the University of Wales in Bangor, and received a doctorate in Latin and French from the Sorbonne
University of Paris
The University of Paris was a university located in Paris, France and one of the earliest to be established in Europe. It was founded in the mid 12th century, and officially recognized as a university probably between 1160 and 1250...
in 1926. He became a lecturer, then a Professor of French at the University College Southampton
University of Southampton
The University of Southampton is a British public university located in the city of Southampton, England, a member of the Russell Group. The origins of the university can be dated back to the founding of the Hartley Institution in 1862 by Henry Robertson Hartley. In 1902, the Institution developed...
. He later took the position of Professor of French, and was successively promoted within the university administration as Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Pro Vice-Chancellor, at the University of Sheffield
University of Sheffield
The University of Sheffield is a research university based in the city of Sheffield in South Yorkshire, England. It is one of the original 'red brick' universities and is a member of the Russell Group of leading research intensive universities...
. He published a Handbook of French Renaissance Dramatic Theory in 1950, and Poems, Selected with Introduction and Notes (on the work of Joaquim du Bellay) in 1961.
During the Second World War
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...
, Lawton's name featured on a German list of people to be killed if Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
invaded Britain.
In 1999, Lawton received the Légion d'honneur
Légion d'honneur
The Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
of the French Republic, honouring his services in World War I.
He died on Christmas Eve 2005 at the age of 106.
Selected publications
- Vernacular Literature in Western Europe, in The New Cambridge Modern HistoryCambridge Modern HistoryThe Cambridge Modern History is a comprehensive modern history of the world, beginning with the 15th century age of Discovery, published by the Cambridge University Press in the United Kingdom and also in the United States....
, vol. I, The Renaissance, 1493-1520 (1957)
External links
- http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2005/12/26/db2601.xml&sSheet=/portal/2005/12/26/ixportal.htmlObituary from The Daily TelegraphThe Daily TelegraphThe Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
] - Obituary from The TimesThe TimesThe Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
, 26 December 2005, page 67