Pte 51670 Ernest Orchard Lawrence

• Age: 21
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 17th Btn
• K.I.A Thursday 12th October 1916
• Commemorated at: Thiepval Memorial
  Panel Ref: P&F1D8B &8 C.

Ernest Orchard Lawrence was born on the 02nd April 1895 and baptised 30th June, 1895 at St Clement, C. of E. Church, Toxteth. He was the son of Henry Orchard Lawrence and his wife Annie Louisa (nee Minty) who married in Liverpool in 1890 at St. John The Baptist, Tuebrook. 

The 1901 census sees the family living at 39 Granby Street. His father, Henry Orchard, is aged 36, born in 1866 in Weston Super Mare, and whose occupation is poultry dealer and shopkeeper. His wife Annie is aged 39, born 1862 and was born in Bath, Somerset. The couple have four children – Elizabeth aged 9, Frederick 7, Ernest 5 and 4 year old Marjorie. All the children have been born in Liverpool.   

The 1911 Census shows the family now living at 164A Aigburth Road, Liverpool.  His father Orchard is aged 45, born in 1866 in Weston Super Mare, and whose occupation is a Fishmonger and Poulterer His wife Annie is aged 49(married 20 years 5 children 4 still alive), born 1862 and is assisting in the business, she was born in Bath, Somerset. Elizabeth aged 19, is an Art Student, Frederick aged 17, is an Architectural student, Ernest aged 16, is assisting in the business and Marjorie aged 14 is at school.  

Ernest enlisted as Rifleman 5141 joining the 6th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment (Liverpool Rifles). He embarked from Folkestone-Boulogne on 19th July 1916, reaching the 24th Infantry Base Depot on 20th July, and proceeded to the 11th Entrenching Battalion on 02nd August. He then subsequently proceeded to the 17th Battalion K.L.R. on 05th August and was posted to the 17th Bn from 05th September 1916 as Private No 51670.

He was killed in action on the 12th October 1916 aged 21 during the Battle of the Transloy Ridges which was part of the ongoing Somme Offensive.

17th Bn War Diary: Battle of Transloy Ridge –

11-10-16 - Gird Trench/Gird Support – Battalion in front line and support trenches. British bombardment of enemy front line system commenced about midday. Hostile shelling was intermittent throughout the day.

12-10-16 - Our bombardment continued. Enemy reply weak. 2.5 p.m. Zero hour. Attack on German front line system commenced. Enemy wire was found to be uncut and attack was unsuccessful. Hostile machine gun fire was very heavy and caused many casualties. Battalion H.Q. and Support Trench were heavily shelled throughout afternoon and evening. […] During this action all communication had to be carried out by runners and carrier pigeons as all wires were being continually cut by enemy shelling.

Casualties: 5 officers killed, 5 officers wounded, 38 OR killed, about 225 OR wounded/missing etc.

Graham Maddocks, in “Liverpool Pals” p.140, adds:

“As the whistle blew, the 17th Battalion left its trenches to move forward. […] As soon as the attacking waves left their trenches the enemy artillery began to register on them, and at the same time, the defending infantry commenced a murderous rain of fire. […] Although their numbers had been depleted by the British bombardment, they were trained and experienced soldiers, well dug in on high ground, and for the most part, looking out on uncut wire. As such, it was virtually impossible for them to miss the City Battalion men struggling to advance in the mud towards them. The 17th Battalion, on the left, was particularly badly hit, as its portion of No Man’s Land contained a slight rise in the ground, and as the troops emerged onto it they were silhouetted against the sky and became easy targets. Those on the left of the attack, who managed to avoid the hail of bullets and make it to the German wire, then found that it was totally uncut, and thus trapped, they too became easy targets, to be picked off almost at the enemy’s will. It was hardly surprising that, seeing the first waves being wiped out, some of the following waves turned back and made for their start lines. These lines were now packed with other waves of troops, however, and the fleeing men added to the congestion already there, and became easy prey for the German gunners. There is some evidence also, to suggest that at this stage, the British trenches were also being hit by their own heavy artillery shells which were falling short.”

Ernest's body was not recovered or was subsequently lost as he has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, France.

The Thiepval Memorial, the Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, bears the names of more than 72,000 officers and men of the United Kingdom and South African forces who died in the Somme sector before 20 March 1918 and have no known grave. Over 90% of those commemorated died between July and November 1916.

On 01st August 1932 the Prince of Wales and the President of France inaugurated the Thiepval Memorial in Picardy. The inscription reads: “Here are recorded the names of officers and men of the British Armies who fell on the Somme battlefields between July 1915 and March 1918 but to whom the fortune of war denied the known and honoured burial given to their comrades in death.”

He was reported killed in the Liverpool Daily Post 20th November 1916. 

King’s (Liverpool Regiment) - Lawrence, 51670, E.; 

He is also commemorated on the following Memorials

St Michael in the Hamlet, C. of E. Church.

Hall of Remembrance, Liverpool Town Hall, Panel 24 Right

Ernest’s brother also served in the army, as Sapper 446638 in the Royal Engineers.

Soldiers Effects to father Henry O., Pension to mother Annie.  

His parents moved to Devon around 1924.  

Henry died aged 65 on the 29^th May 1928. 

Probate:- 

LAWRENCE Henry Orchard of Westray Kingsneighton Devonshire died 29 May 1928 administration London 24 September to Annie Louise Lawrence widow. Effects £889 6s.  

Annie died aged 86 in 1947 in Devon.  

Grateful thanks are extended to Kevin Shannon the author of the book The Liverpool Rifles for providing details of Ernest's service with the 6th Rifles. 

We currently have no further information on Ernest Orchard Lawrence, If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.