Lawrence George Hadenham

A Second Lieutenant with the 9th Battalion, Lawrence died on 18 July 1916 at the age of 21.  

Lawrence was born at Little Wenlock, Shropshire, in 1895, a son of Samuel and Harriet Hadenham. He was baptised at Little Wenlock on 31 March 1895. By 1901 his family were living 91 Queens Road, Lowestoft. Lawrence was a pupil at Church Road Council school, Lowestoft. By 1911 Lawrence’s mother had died and his family lived at 13 Saint Margaret’s Plain, Lowestoft, and Lawrence worked as a page at a hotel.

Lawrence volunteered and enlisted in the Army. He joined the East Surrey Regiment, service number 4769. He was posted to the 8th Battalion. Lawrence was promoted to Lance Corporal on 2 October 1914. He was already a Sergeant when he arrived in France with the 8th Battalion on 27 July 1915.

Lawrence was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the East Surrey Regiment on 28 November 1915. He returned to France on 7 December 1915 to join the 9th battalion.    

In July 1916 the 9th Battalion was in the vicinity of Messines. The 9th Battalion War Diary for 17 July 1916 has:

During the morning the enemy started shelling our communication trenches. We retaliated with field guns. Casualties: wounded Second Lieutenant L.G. Hadenham.

Lawrence had received a gunshot wound to the head and he died of his wounds at No 2 Casualty Clearing Station at 4.40 p.m. the next day.

Lawrence is commemorated on Saint Margaret’ War Memorial.