The 1/5th Battalion arrived at Boulogne on the 03/05/1915 and were part of the 153rd Brigade, 51st (Scottish) Division when Lawrence Died of Wounds to the back (received at Arras / Fampoux on the 16/05/1917) at No.7 Canadian General Hospital, Etaples. The Division took part in the capture of Roeux, 13th - 14th May a few days before Lawrence received his wounds. This was part of the The Arras offensive (Battle of Arras), 9th April -16th June 1917 : Once again the British are called upon to launch an attack in support to a larger French offensive: the Battles of the Chemin des Dames and the hills of Champagne. The opening Battle of Vimy and the First Battle of the Scarpe are very encouraging, but once again the offensive - often known as the Battle of Arras - bogs down into an attritional slog. Final attempts to outflank the German lines at Bullecourt prove terribly costly. Lawrence's funeral was attended by his ex schoolmate at St. Augustine's and ex workmate at the British Tube Works Private Joseph Dunn who was attached to the Canadian General Hospital. A big thank you to Janice Young for the photo of her father William (Bill) McKinley who was Lawrence's brave younger brother and to Lililian McKinley (Lawrence's niece) and her son Ian McLaughlin (William's grandson) for the photos of Lawrence and his comrades and for Lawrence's Memorial Plaque (see photos). See Newspaper clippings for letters sent to Lawrence's mother by Captain and Chaplain A. B. Cote and one of the Nurses at Etaples. See Service Record (8) for a list of Lawrence's belongings left to his mother. He was previously with the Cameron Highlanders (25206). Lawrence is listed as McKINLAY on the Coatbridge Memorial. Grave photo kindly donated by Mick McCann at the British War Graves website who supply photos FREE OF CHARGE
here. Lawrence is also remembered on the St. Augustine's Church and Stewarts and Lloyds Rolls of Honour (see photos). See photos for Lawrence's Medal Index Card, his Newspaper clippings x 4, his Army Register of Soldiers Effects, his Service Medal and Award Rolls, his CWGC Grave Registration x 2, his Headstone Report, Etaples Military Cemetery, his Pension Records x 4, Lawrence's former Regiment the Cameron Highlanders Cap Badge, the Gordon Highlanders Cap Badge and Lawrence's Service Records x 14.
