Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of John Bedford Lawton, a hosiery manager, born 1858 in Scalthwaiterigg, Westmorland and his wife Sarah Jane Lawton (nee Turner, married in December 1884 in Balrothery, Ireland), born 1861 in Sutton in Ashfield, Nottinghamshire. Joseph Henry was born in the 1st quarter of 1889 in Chilwell, Nottinghamshire, his siblings were Maggie Wellina, born on the 15th December 1890 in Chilwell and Mary Ann, a schoolgirl born 1886 in Balbriggan, Dublin, Ireland, also residing with the family was Joseph’s maternal grandmother Martha Turner, a laundress, born 1840 in Sutton in Ashfield, and his maternal aunt, Edith Turner, a stocking trade weaver, born 1873 in Chilwell, in April 1891 the family home was at Cottage Grove, Chilwell. In March 1901 Joseph was residing in the family home at Forest View, Sileby Road, Barrow upon Soar, Leicestershire together with his father, a hosiery trade factory over looker, his mother and sister Maggie. In April 1911 Joseph was employed as a hosiery trade factory over looker and was residing in the family home at Sileby Road, Barrow upon Soar, together with his father a hosiery trade factory over looker, his mother and siblings Mary, a hosiery trade embroiderer and Maggie, a hosiery trade worker.
Joseph enlisted/attested into the Regular Army on the 18th August 1914 in Loughborough, and was allotted the service number 10221. He gave his place of birth as Chilwell, Nottingham and age as 25 years 9 months. His marital status was given as unmarried and his trade or calling as hosier.
His medical examination took place in Loughborough on the 17th August 1914 and recorded his apparent age as 25 years 9 months, that he was 5 feet 8½ inches in height, weighed 152 lbs, had a chest measurement of between 33 and 35 inches, his complexion was described as fresh, he had grey normal eyes and his hair colour was brown. He gave his religion as Church of England.
He gave his next of kin as his father, John Bedford Lawton, his mother Sarah Jane Lawton and his sister Pollie Lawton, Sileby Road, Barrow upon Soar.
During his period of military service the following events of note occurred:-
Joined. Depot Leicestershire Regt. Pte. 20/8/14.
Posted. To 6th Bn. Leicestershire Regt. Aldershot. 23/8/14.
Appointed. Paid Lance Corporal. 24/9/14.
Appointed. Acting Corporal. 24/10/14.
Embarked. To join the British Expeditionary Force, France. 29/7/15.
Promoted. Corporal. 27/9/15.
Appointed. Paid Lance Sergeant. In the Field. 23/10/15.
Appointed. Acting Sergeant (vice McNiece). In the Field. 22/10/15.
Confirmed. In rank of Sergeant. In the Field. 22/10/15.
Reported. Wounded and missing. In the Field. 14-16/7/16.
Accepted. As having been killed in action. In the Field. 14-16/7/16.
Summary of Service.
Home Service. 18/8/14 – 28/7/15. 345 days.
British Expeditionary Force, France. 29/7/15 – 16/7/16. 354 days.
Total Service. 1 year 333 days.
He was awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
Joseph’s surviving service record amounts to a total of fourteen pages, of which only seven pages relate directly to his military service, and these are in poor condition with much of the hand written information in some cases barely legible, damaged or missing entirely, however the content does offer at least a little descriptive insight into some of the events that took place during his period of military service.
The War Diary records: 14-17 Jul-16 - FRICOURT. The 110th Brigade attacked and captured BAZENTIN – LE – PETIT WOOD and village and held same. Appendix I. The action attached.
Narrative of action of the 6th Battalion Leicestershire Regiment from 3.00am 14/7/16 to 8.00am 17/7/16.
The Battalion moved from FRICOURT WOOD via the southern and eastern edge of MAMETZ WOOD and reached the north east corner of this wood just before 3.00am. The Battalion was formed in four lines by 3.15am under a fairly heavy bombardment and lined up with the 7th Battalion LEICESTERSHIRE REGIMENT on its left about 100 yards in front of MAMETZ WOOD. At 3.25am 1st and 2nd lines advanced on German first line, and five minutes later the third and fourth lines advanced, and, crossing first line, assaulted and took the German second line. The first German line was very much knocked about and some 25 or 30 prisoners were taken in it. The right Company blocked German first line trench on right of the attack, and also the same in the German second line. While crossing “No man’s” land the barrage was not very severe but the two right Companies suffered a good many casualties from enemy machine guns in BAZENTIN-LE-GRAND WOOD, which had not then been cleared by 7th Division on our right. There were also two enemy machine guns in the south east corner of BAZENTIN-LE-PETIT WOOD. These were charged by the third and fourth lines and the detachments killed, and the guns taken. There were not a large number of Germans in second line when it was entered. The trenches had been so knocked about that it was difficult to consolidate them. At 4.00am first and second lines, leaving small parties to deal with any dugouts, advanced to German second line, which was also being consolidated by the third and fourth lines. At 4.20am three platoons remained in German second line, and the rest of the Battalion advanced to the “one hour” line, which was reached after suffering a good many casualties from enfilade fire from the direction of BAZENTIN-LE-GRAND WOOD. Soon after this the enemy, retiring in front of the 7th Division from BAZENTIN-LE-GRAND WOOD on our right, were enfiladed from the eastern edge of the wood by our Lewis guns, and suffered heavy losses. For some time the right Company had to form a defensive flank as many of the enemy were trying to get from BAZENTIN-LE-GRAND WOOD to BAZENTIN-LE-PETIT WOOD. At 5.20am the Battalion advanced to the “two hour” line and remained there till 6.00am, waiting for the 7th Division to come up on our right. At 6.00am the Battalion was reinforced by several platoons of the 9th Battalion LEICESTERSHIRE REGIMENT At 6.05am the line advanced against the village, and, the left of the 7th Division not being up, the whole village was assaulted and taken, and 3 officers and 200 prisoners. At 6.40am the ROYAL IRISH RIFLES entered the village and the eastern portion was handed over to them. At 7.15am the Battalion occupied and began consolidating the line from the northern end of the village, thence southwards to the north eastern point of BAZENTIN-LE-PETIT WOOD, thence along northern edge of wood halfway to the railway. An attempt to get the real objective was heavily enfiladed from a point just outside the wood near the railway. About 50 prisoners were taken in a trench along northern edge of wood. At 8.30am the enemy made a counter attack against the northern portion of village. The 7th Division who were not very strong here fell back on cemetery. The Battalion conformed and held northern edge of wood and the prolongation of same through the village. At 9.15am the 7th Division were reinforced and retook eastern portion of village, and the Battalion resumed its previous line, joining up with the 7th Division north of the village. At 3.00pm the enemy made another counter attack against northern and north eastern edge of village. Many of them reached the road running from north end of village to railway and were at once stopped by our rifle and Lewis gun fire. The Battalion held and consolidated this position on the night of the 14th and also on the 15th there was no change. At 2.00am on the 16th a party of one officer and 50 men were sent out to try to consolidate the original objective along the road. They were preceded by a party of one officer and 40 men of the YORKSHIRE REGIMENT The latter party got to the road and held it for some time while our party was trying to consolidate, but were heavily bombed and enfiladed from enemy post just outside wood near railway, and was forced to retire. On the night of the 16th the Battalion was relieved by the 10th KING’S OWN YORKSHIRE LIGHT INFANTRY and the Battalion went into bivouac just south of FRICOURT WOOD, arriving there at 1.00am the 17th instant. The Battalion suffered the following casualties 7 officers killed and 20 wounded. 500 other ranks killed, wounded and missing.
The War Diary records: 16 July-16 - 6th Battalion right supported by 9th LEICESTERSHIRE REGIMENT 7th Battalion LEICESTERSHIRE REGIMENT on left supported by 8th Battalion LEICESTERSHIRE REGIMENT.
The War Diary records: 17 July-16 - The Battalion marched from FRICOURT WOOD at 7.45pm and arrived at RIBEMONT at 12.30am 18th July 1916.
On Tuesday, October 12th, 1915 The Leicester Daily Post published the following article under the heading. “LEICESTERSHIRE AND THE WAR.” – “SNAPSHOTS” FROM THE FRONT. – Impressions of Old Bridge-road Boys. (Passed by the Censor) – (Extracts from letters of Old Bridge-road Boys to Mr. A. H. Baddeley.) – “A Really Fine Life.” – Corporal Hy. Lawton writes to his parents at Barrow on Soar: Things seem to have taken a change for the better out here. Both the French and English have advanced, taking a good number of prisoners and guns. Along the front artillery duels have been the order of the day, and from what we could see our chaps get quite the best of it, and we are all anxious to get at it. There is a song which the chaps sing. It is a parody on “Drinking,” and finishes up with “Digging, digging, digging.” The art of ducking becomes as natural as eating. It is a really fine life. I don’t think anyone would change places with Perham Down. We return to the trenches to-night for another week. On coming out we always return to the same billet. We had a grand fire going last night. For fuel we used wood taken from the ruins of houses close by. Most of the chaps were making something, either tea, cocoa, coffee, or oxo. A more cheerful scene could not be imagined.
On Friday October 15th 1915 The Melton Mowbray Times & Vale of Belvoir Gazette published the following article under the heading. “DISTRICT WAR ITEMS.” – BARROW SOLDIER’S LETTER. Corporal Hy. Lawton writes to his parents at Barrow on Soar:- Things seem to have taken a change for the better out here. Both the French and the English have advanced, taking a good number of prisoners and guns. Along the front artillery duels have been the order of the day and from what we could see our chaps get quite the best of it. There is a song which the chaps sing. It is a parody on “Drinking,” and finishes up with “Digging, digging, digging.” The art of ducking becomes as natural as eating. It is a really -?- life. I don’t think anyone would change places with Perham Down. We return to the trenches tonight for another week. On coming out we always return to the same billet. We had a grand fire going last night. For fuel we used wood taken from the ruins of houses close by. Most of the chaps were making something, either tea, cocoa, coffee or oxo. A more cheerful scene could not be imagined.
On Friday August 25th 1916 The Melton Mowbray Times & Vale of Belvoir Gazette published the following article under the heading. “DISTRICT WAR ITEMS.” – BARROW-ON-SOAR SOLDIER KILLED. Mr. and Mrs. Lawton, of Nook-lane, Barrow, have received information that their only son, Sergt. H. Lawton, Leicesters, has been killed in action. – Sergt. Lawton, who was 27 years of age, was formerly employed by Messrs. Towle and Hiam, at Sileby. He was one of the first from Barrow to join the colours at the outbreak of the war, and has been over 12 months at the front.
On Friday December 15th 1916 The Melton Mowbray Times & Vale of Belvoir Gazette published the following article under the heading. “DISTRICT WAR ITEMS.” – BARROW SOLDIER KILLED. – Mr. and Mrs. Lawton, of Nook-lane, Barrow, received official information that their only son, Sergeant Harry Lawton, of the Leicester’s was killed in action on July 14th. Sergt. Lawton who was 26 years of age, was one of the first from Barrow to enlist at the outbreak of war, previous to which he was employed by Messrs. Towle and Hiam, Sileby.
On Friday December 22nd 1916 The Melton Mowbray Times & Vale of Belvoir Gazette published the following article under the heading. “LOCAL MEN IN THE CASUALTY LISTS.” - The following casualties amongst local men are officially reported. All are Private’s except where otherwise shown. The town shown against each soldier’s name is the home of his next-of-kin. From Saturday’s list:- KILLED. (Previously reported Wounded and Missing). LEICESTERSHIRE REGIMENT. Lawton, 10221 Sergt. J. H. (Barrow on Soar).