Harrison, Laurance Tomly: Service no. 928754

Family Search: When Private Lawrence Tolmie Harrison was born on 3 January 1900, in Southampton, Saugeen Shores, Bruce, Ontario, Canada, his father, Henry Lawrence Harrison, was 28 and his mother, Agnes Frances Bonthron, was 22. He lived in Wellington, Ontario, Canada in 1911 and Fergus, Centre Wellington, Wellington, Ontario, Canada in 1916. He registered for military service in 1916. In 1916, at the age of 16, his occupation is listed as clerk in Fergus, Centre Wellington, Wellington, Ontario, Canada. He died on 8 August 1918, in Marcelcave, Somme, Picardie, France, at the age of 18, and was buried in Adelaide Cemetery, Villers-Bretonneux, Somme, Picardie, France.

Mentioned in letter by Signaller Cushie:

Longmoor Ranges Hants, Eng

August 12th, 1917

Dear Mother & Father:-

This is Sunday afternoon and most of the boys have gone to Peterfield, about 7 miles from here, but I am trying to keep cool in a little bush near the camp. Harrison from Fergus is my companion and as he had the misfortune to dislocate his shoulder the other day I am acting as his nurse today.

We have been having a fine time down here this last week. We have been down to the Ranges shooting every day and we have all done fairly well so far. We are only on the ranges half a day and the rest of the day we have to ourselves which is a great change from Bramshott.

We have had fine weather ever since we came here although it was rather wet when we arrived.

There are a lot of Imperial troops near here – mostly conscripts. They all seem fairly young too.

Some things are much cheaper around here because the Imperial troops can’t afford to pay so much as Canadians. I think they just get about two shillings a day which is less than half of what we get. For example the other night we went to a picture show which cost us the magnificent sum of one penny while up in camp we can’t go to a picture show costing less than sixpence.

We have the enjoyment of a fine swimming bath right near the camp. It is only about 3 feet deep at the deepest place but the water is clean and a swim is very refreshing on a hot day.

I didn’t get any mail from home last week although there was a Canadian mail came in but I expect there will be some waiting for me when we go back to camp on Wednesday.

I haven’t much news this time so will close.

Lovingly

John