Private K. W. Lawrence, MM; Hastings; born Hastings, 6 Feb 1918; truck driver. (Source: Kay, R. 27 (Machine Gun) Battalion. p.209.)

'‘Then one of their shells hit the recuperator on the gun and [ricocheted] off. ‘Robin fired the gun again, I was feeding the shells to the gun acting as his No. 2. This shell never went off. He said what's wrong. I said it must be a dud. He ripped the breech block open and as he did so there was a terrific explosion and after the smoke had cleared away Robin was lying on the deck mortally wounded…. the 6 pounder shell had exploded on coming out of the breech…. ‘Anyway with Robin mortally wounded and the Staff Sergeant out too it wasn't any use me staying there so I told the driver to drive away and we took Robin to the Field Dressing Station, on the way down the Staff Sergeant came to and seemed alright…. After that we found our way back to No. 1 Coy and I reported back to Captain Kirk, the Staff Sergeant and the other chap took the Portee and went off to find their own units.’ For his part in this action Lawrence was awarded the MM.' (Source: Kay, R. 27 (Machine Gun) Battalion. pp. 209-10.) AWMM