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Digitized Service Record

Circumstance of Death

“Died of Wounds.”
He was in the front line in charge of two platoons on the 10th. April 1916. After darkness had fallen he went out in the front line to search for the body of a man who had been killed on the previous night, and in these circumstances was wounded in the head by enemy rifle fire. He was brought in at once, and after first aid had been rendered was taken to No. 10 Casualty Clearing Station, where he succumbed at 3.30 a.m. on the 12th. April 1916.

The soldier mentioned above may be Lance Corporal Sando, 54325.

Lt. Frank Lawson, 18th Battalion from Calgary, Alberta.

Clipping from the Calgary Daily Herald May 8, 1916

LIEUT. F. DAWSON DIED LIKE SOLDIER DECLARES HIS O.C.

F.J. Lawson Receives Letter Telling How Son Was Fatally Wounded

That Lieut. Frank Lawson, of Calgary, who was mentioned a short time ago by The Herald, was killed in action in the St. Eloi fight, made the supreme sacrifice while heroically bringing in the dead and wounded from “no man’s land” after the attack on April 10 had ceased is the word which the father, F.J. Lawson, has received from the commanding officer of his son’s late battalion.

It appears that during the day he had fought valiantly in a position on which the Germans concentrated a fierce bombardment, but he escaped unhurt. In the evening he fearlessly set out to bring in the dead and wounded, and it was while undertaking this work that he fell a victim to a German sniper.

Letter from O.C.

How the gallant young Calgarian was hit is told by the commanding officer as follows:

“It is with personal regret I am notifying you of the death of your son, Lieut. F. Lawson, of my battalion. To know him was to love his amiable disposition. He was devoted to his duty and to his men, was liked by his fellow officers, and we miss him.

“He did his duty and did it well, fearless, painstaking and cautious. He had led his men into a position under bombardment that was simply hell on earth. He got through all right, only to be shot by a Hun sniper when getting in the wounded and dead from “no man’s land” between the trenches at night, after the battle was over.

Bullet Lodge in Spine

“The bullet entered his right ear and lodged in the spine. When he left the aid post he was conscious and quite cheerful, not thinking the wound serious. He was wounded on the night of April 10 and was admitted to No. 10 casualty clearing station next morning. He was still conscious on arrival there. His wound was not considered dangerous. He became worse, however, and on being operated upon it was discovered that a clot of blod [blood] had formed on the brain. He survived the operation all right, but never rallied, passing peacefully away early the next morning, April 12.

“It seem hard that such noble young men are being sacrificed. Please accept my sincere sympathy and rest assured he died a soldier, discharging his duty well.”

Although Lieut. Lawson held his major’s papers before leaving for France, he was so keen about getting into the firing line that he volunteered to take a lieutenant C.G. in a battalion that was already at the front.