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Cenotaph record

Harry John Laurent

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J.G. Grant is on the right beside fellow VC recipients Harry Laurent and Leslie Andrew (middle). - No known copyright restrictions

J.G. Grant is on the right beside fellow VC recipients Harry Laurent and Leslie Andrew (middle). - N …

Identity

About

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  • Title
  • Forenames
    Harry John AWMM
  • Surname
    Laurent AWMM
  • Ingoa
  • Also known as
    Henry Laurent AWMM
  • Service number
    WWI 24/213 AWMM
  • Gender
    Male AWMM
  • Iwi / Hapū / Waka / Rohe
  • Religion

Civilian life

About birth

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  • Birth
    15 April 1895 AWMM Tarata, Taranaki AWMM
  • Date of birth
  • Place of birth
  • Birth notes
  • Address before enlistment
    WW1 Pre May 1915 AWMM Care of J. Campbell, Tokaora, New Zealand AWMM
  • Post war occupation
  • Next of kin on embarkation
    WW1 J.M. Laurent (father), Lake Road, Hawera, New Zealand AWMM
  • Relationship status
    Pre 9 October 1915 AWMM Single AWMM

Service

Wars and conflicts

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Military decorations

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  • Medals and Awards
    • Victoria Cross (VC) AWMM
      London Gazette 15 November 1918, Supplement 31012, p.13472, Rec No 1604E "For most conspicuous bravery, skill, and enterprise when during an attack he was detailed to exploit an initial success and keep in touch with the enemy. With a party of twelve he located the enemy support line very strongly held, at once charged the position, followed by his men, and completely disorganised the enemy by his sudden onslaught. In the subsequent hand-to-hand fighting which ensued he showed great resourcefulness in controlling and encouraging his men, and thirty of the enemy having been killed the remainder surrendered, a total of one officer and 111 other ranks in all. The success of this daring venture, which caused his party four casualties only, was due to his gallantry and enterprise." AWMM
    • Victory Medal AWMM
    • British War Medal (1914-1920) AWMM

Training and Enlistment

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  • Military training
    Officer training in October 1918, commissioned 2nd Lieutenant in February 1919. AWMM
  • Branch Trade Proficiency
  • Enlistment
    WW1 May 1915 AWMM
    Age 20 AWMM
    Engineer/Military AWMM
    AWMM
  • Occupation before enlistment
  • Age on enlistment

Embarkations

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Prisoner of war

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  • Capture details
  • Days interned
  • Liberation date
  • Liberation Repatriation
  • POW liberation details
  • POW serial number

Medical history

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  • Medical notes
    Hospital Diseases , Wounds, WWI AWMM
    Slightly wounded in action in France in October 1916. AWMM

Biographical information

Biographical information

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  • Harry Laurent was recalled for service in October 1939 and served in home defence until his retirement with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in August 1945.

    Listed at Archives New Zealand as LAURENT, Harry John, VC [Victoria Cross] - WWI 24/213, WWII - Army. His medals are held by the National Army Museum, Waiouru, New Zealand.

    Sergeant Laurent was awarded "for conspicuous bravery, skill and enterprise" when, during an attack at Gouzeaucourt Woods on 12 September 1918, he was in charge of an advance group, leading a party of twelve. The squad advanced quickly to attack a German support line that was being strongly held. In the initial attack and in the subsequent hand-to-hand fighting he displayed initiative and leadership, his squad killing a number of the enemy and captured an officer and 111 other ranks at the cost of just four casualties. (from Grant Anderson (1999) Decorations for outstanding gallantry) AWMM
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Death

About death

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  • Death
    1987 AWMM
    Age 92 AWMM
    Hastings, Hawkes Bay AWMM
  • Date of death
  • Age at death
  • Place of death
  • Cause of death
  • Death notes
  • Cemetery
  • Cemetery name
  • Grave reference
  • Obituary
  • Memorial name
    Victoria Cross commemorative paving stone, National Memorial Aboretum, Staffordshire, England Public - Sarndra - Researcher - 29 November 2015 - Personal visit
  • Memorial reference

Memorials

Memorial

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  • Memorial name
    • Dunedin, Victoria Cross winners' plaque, Queens Gardens, Dunedin, New Zealand AWMM
    • Kaikoura Anglican Church, 29 Torquay St, Kaikoura AWMM

Roll of Honour

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Leave a note

Leave a tribute or memory of Harry John Laurent

Leave a note

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  • Henry Laurent was my Great, Grandfather. He is a role model to our family and some people in our family have been named after him. It is a huge honour to be able to say I'm His direct descendant and to have someone in our family with enough bravery to win the Victoria Cross medal.
    Public - Meredith - Direct descendant - 24 April 2019
    Report 
  • My Grandmother Muriel Wilson (nee Laurent) was his sister. I feel honoured that he is part of my family history
    Public - Adrienne Adele - Other relative - 22 April 2016
    Report 
  • I am very proud of my great great Grandfather.
    Public - Sophie - Direct descendant - 5 March 2016
    Report 
  • I am very proud to be Harry's great great grandson and am named for him. I am 9 now.
    Public - Harry Ian Harrop - Direct descendant - 11 January 2016
    Report 

Sources

Sources

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  • External links
  • References
    • Auckland Weekly News AWMM
      Auckland Weekly News, 1918 AWMM
    • Anderson, G. (1999). Decorations for outstanding gallantry. Auckland, N.Z.: Author. AWMM
    • The Register of the Victoria Cross. (1997). (3rd ed.). Cheltenham, England: This England. AWMM
    • New Zealand Army Expeditionary Force. (1914-1919). Nominal Rolls of New Zealand Expeditionary Force, Volume I. Wellington, N.Z.: Govt. Printer. AWMM
      Vol1: 407 AWMM
    • Harper, G., & Richardson, C. (2006). In the face of the enemy: The complete history of the Victoria Cross and New Zealand. Auckland, N.Z.: HarperCollins NZ. AWMM
      Harper, G. & Richardson, C. (2006). p.127 AWMM
    • The Register of the Victoria Cross. (1997). (3rd ed.). Cheltenham, England: This England. AWMM
      The Register of the Victoria Cross. (1997). (3rd ed.). p. 187 AWMM
    • Beattie, P.J. & Pomeroy, M. (2013-2020). Onward : portraits of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force (vols 1-5). Auckland, New Zealand: Fair Dinkum Publications AWMM
      Vol. 4: Includes portrait AWMM
    • McDonald, W. (2013). Honours and Awards to the New Zealand Expeditionary Force in the Great War, 1914-1918. (3rd ed.). Hamilton, N.Z.: Richard Stowers. AWMM
      p. 143 AWMM
    • The Le Quesnoy Campaign research was undertaken by the New Zealand Society of Genealogists as part of the development of New Zealand Liberation Museum - Te Arawhata (Le Quesnoy France). This research project was led by CJ Barbour (NZSG), BI Silvester, HH Farrant (NZMHS) with the support of NZSG volunteers (2022). The individuals included in this research data set were verified as serving in Le Quesnoy. AWMM

Contributors

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DateFirst namesLocationRelationshipContact
24 April 2019MeredithAwhitu, Auckland, New ZealandDirect descendant
22 April 2016Adrienne AdeleWanganuiOther relative
05 March 2016SophieNew ZealandDirect descendant
11 January 2016Harry Ian HarropAwhitu, Auckland NZDirect descendant
29 November 2015SarndraAuckland, New ZealandResearcher

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