Lawson, Frederick William

No.638 – Private Frederick William Lawson – 44^th Battalion AIF

Frederick William Lawson was born in Fremantle WA in 1895 to Edward and Jane Lawson. He was educated at Swan Boys Orphanage at Midland Junction WA and after leaving school he took up work as a labourer. In 1898 his father died but he continued to live with his mother and siblings in 44 Hulbert Street South Fremantle (now 18 Hulbert). 

Fred also began serving with the 86 Infantry of the Citizen’s Forces. On the 11^th January 1916 Fred went to Swan Barracks in Perth and enlisted in the AIF.

(Picture - Edmund and Fred Lawson with their mother)

He was found to be fit and was accepted for service. His brother Edmund had just returned from Gallipoli, having been wounded by shrapnel on April 25^th 1915 while serving with the 12^th Battalion AIF. The medical examiner found Fred to be 5 feet 6 inches tall; weight of 122 lbs; chest measurement of 32-34 inches; fresh complexion; blue eyes and brown hair. His religious denomination was Church of England.

Fred was initially sent to No.48 Depot but was then transferred to “C” Company of the newly forming 44^th Battalion AIF at Claremont Camp.

Fred trained with the 44^th Battalion at Claremont Camp until the end of May 1916 while they waited for their embarkation orders to arrive. These finally arrived and after the men packed up camp they entrained for Fremantle and boarded the HMAT Suevic on the 6^th June 1916. The men had a six week sea voyage, finally arriving at Plymouth England on the 21^st July 1916. They were then disembarked and sent to the 3^rd Division Training Ground on the Salisbury Plain.

The 44^th Battalion as part of the 3^rd Division AIF would spend the next four months in England training. During this time they were also given leave to see the sights of the British Isles. On the 25^th November 1916 the 44^th Battalion boarded a troopship at Southampton and set across the channel for France. After their arrival they were sent to the region of Armentieres where they would remain until March 1917. They were then sent to the Ploegsteert sector of Belgium where they would prepare for the Battle of Messines in June 1917. Fred served through Messines action unscathed and also during the Third Battle of Ypres in September/October 1917. He actually served right through 1917 without being wounded or reporting sick.

On the 3^rd January 1918 Fred was given leave to England though he got into trouble in London for failing to salute an officer of the British Forces and was subsequently docked three days pay. He returned from leave on the 19^th January 1918.

The 44^th Battalion remained in the Messines sector until March 1918 when they were then moved south in response to the massive German offensive which had just broke through the Third and Fifth British Armies on the Somme. The 44^th Battalion came into contact with the Germans on March 28^th at Sailly Laurette and managed to stop the advance in their sector. They remained in the Corbie sector for the next few months. On the 1^st July 1918 Fred was evacuated to the 11^th Field Ambulance suffering from influenza, thereby missing the Battle of Hamel on 4^th July, the first action of the Battalion that Fred had missed. He rejoined the 44^th Battalion on the 7^th July 1918.

A month later the 44^th Battalion took part in the advance from Amiens when Australian, British, Canadian and French units pushed the Germans back on August 8^th 1918. The 44^th Battalion took their objectives however Fred was wounded when shrapnel penetrated his back. He was evacuated to the 13^th Field Ambulance where he died of his wounds the same day.

He was buried at Fouilloy Communal Cemetery France in plot B.6, the cemetery being just outside of Corbie.

His brother Edmund ‘Snowy’ Lawson who had served in the 12^th Battalion in WW1, died in 1927 when he was crushed against a telegraph pole by his horse drawn lorry at the Cottesloe Hotel while making a delivery.