William D Lawton MM

William David Lawton was born 12 March 1889 at Waratah, New South Wales.

Military Career

Lawton enlisted at Newcastle on 16 January 1916. 

He embarked at Sydney for England with the 34th Infantry Battalion on the HMAT "Hororata" on 2 May 1916 and disembarked at Plymouth on 23 June 1916.

On 15 September 1916 he was promoted to sergeant.

He proceeded overseas to France on 21 November 1916.

Lawton was transferred to the 9th Training Battalion in England on 17 May 1917.

He was sent back to France on 31 December 1917 and rejoined the 34th Battalion on 5 January 1918.

He was promoted to company sergeant major on 1 March 1918.

Lawton was awarded the Military Medal on 26 October 1918.

He went back to England on 27 March 1919 and embarked for Australia on the HT "Borda" on 11 May 1919.

Lawton disembarked at Melbourne on 27 June 1919 and was discharged at Sydney on 14 August 1919.

He was also awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.

Civilian Life

He was married at Perthville to Eunice Langford in 1939.

After marriage the couple lived at Newcastle where Lawton worked at Waratah Tramways, then to St Marys for about eight years.

He was a member of St Marys sub-branch of the R.S.S.A.I.L.A.

Mr William David Lawton passed away at his residence Railway Street, Werrington, on 20 June 1957. Besides his wife Eunice, the late Mr Lawton left five children, June, Rose, Kathleen, Bill and Margaret.