Daniel Lawlor a hero of the 1st Btn Durham Light Infantry

Daniel Lawlor a hero of the 1st Btn Durham Light Infantry is one of the decorated “old soldiers.” He served for 20 years in the Great War, India and Shanghai.

Daniel Lawlor ‘The Hero’

Daniel Lawlor a hero of the 1st Btn Durham Light Infantry is one of the decorated “old soldiers.” He served for 20 years in the Great War, India and Shanghai.

Daniel was born 27 Oct 1895 at 36 Rodridge Street, Station Town, Durham, England. He was the eldest son of Daniel Lawlor and his wife Ann nee Haughney. Daniel and Ann had 13 children:

1. Daniel LAWLOR,   b. 27 Oct 1895, 36 Rodridge Street, Station Town, Durham, England Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 21 Apr 1941, Egypt
2. Ann LAWLOR,   b. Between Jul 1897 and Sep 1897, Wingate, Durham, England
3. James LAWLOR,   b. Between Jul 1899 and Sep 1899, Felling, Durham, England
4. Mary LAWLOR,   b. Cal Jan 1901, Felling, Durham, England
5. William LAWLOR,   b. Between Apr 1903 and Jun 1903, Felling, Durham, England
6. Margaret LAWLOR,   b. Between Apr 1903 and Jun 1903, Gateshead Registration District, Gateshead, Durham, England Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Between Apr 1904 and Jun 1904, Gateshead Registration District, Gateshead, Durham, England
7. Ellen LAWLOR,   b. Between Apr 1904 and Jun 1904, Felling, Durham, England
8. Julia LAWLOR,   b. Between Jul 1906 and Sep 1906, Felling, Durham, England
9. Peter LAWLOR,   b. Between Oct 1909 and Dec 1909, Felling, Durham, England
10. Margaret ‘Maggie’ LAWLOR,   b. Cal Dec 1910, Felling, Durham, England
11. Catherine LAWLOR,   b. Between Jul 1913 and Sep 1913, Gateshead Registration District, Gateshead, Durham, England
12. Elizabeth LAWLOR,   b. Between Jul 1913 and Sep 1913, Gateshead Registration District, Gateshead, Durham, England
13. Thomas LAWLOR,   b. Between Oct 1916 and Dec 1916, Gateshead Registration District, Gateshead, Durham, England

By the 1911 census of England Daniel is a coal miner driver in the Durham coal mines. He followed his father into the mines.

After World War One broke out Daniel joined the 12^th Battalion of the Northumberland Fusiliers and became Private 10816. He arrived in France on 9^th September 1915 and therefore became entitled to the 1914-15 Star as well as a British War and Victory Medals during World War One.

By 1919 Daniel had transferred to the 1^st Battalion of the Durham Light Infantry as Private 52320. Daniel served with the Durham Light Infantry in India in a theatre called the North West Frontier. Daniel earned an India General Service Medal, 1908 and Clasp called “Afghanistan NWF 1919” for his service in the Third Afghan War during 1919. Daniel received his medal on 12th October 1922 at York, England.

Daniel transferred to the 2^nd Battalion of the Durham Light Infantry. Early in 1930 Daniel was in Razmak which was then in India but now in Pakistan. Whilst in Razmak Daniel served as a Military Policeman.

Daniel was awarded a further 1930-31 North West Frontier Clasp. His medal was issued at Barackpore, India on 24^th March 1934and received in 1935. By then Daniel was back with the Durham Light Infantry’s  Depot in England. He was now Private 4438523 and continuing to serve in the Durham Light Infantry.

In 1937 Daniel was serving in China with the 1^st Battalion of the Durham Light Infantry. Daniel served in Tientsin and Shanghai where he remained until 1939.

One of the heroes of the battalion [1^st Battalion Durham Light Infantry] is Private D. Lawlor. He is one of the “old soldiers,” having been in the service for 20 years. He wears a string of decorations, having served in the Great War, in India and in Shanghai ten years ago. He comes from Felling.

http://durhamlightinfantry.webs.com

Daniel and the 1st Battalion of the Durham Light Infantry found themselves moving to the Western Desert via Hong Kong to join Wavell’s desert army.

Daniel Lawlor the 1st World War Veteran and a Veteran of several tours of India found himself caught up in the vicious battle for desert supremacy against, initially the Italians then later Rommel’s Africa Korps.

Daniel was killed in Egypt on the 21st April 1941. Aged 45 years Daniel Lawlor rests today in Cairo War Memorial Cemetery. The circumstances of his death are unknown but it is believed he was killed in an accident.

Medal Card

Medals

DURHAM LIGHT INFANTRY Regiment or Corps

ROLL OF INDIVIDUALS entitled to the Decoration granted under Army Order 20 of 1919 [1914-15 Star]

Unit	On Date of Disembarkation	Name	Date of Disembarkation Appendix A	Remarks
Regimental No.	Rank
Northumberland Fusiliers	10816	Private	LAWLOR Daniel	Para. 1 9 Sep 1915	Serving as Durham Light Infantry 52320

3 Dec 1919, No. 1 York

ROLL of INDIVIDUALS entitled to the Victory Medal and British War Medal under Army Orders 301 and 266 of 1919

Roll “B” Sheet No. D.L.I./4024

Regimental No.	Rank	Name	Unit	Remarks
52320	Private	LAWLOR, Daniel	12th Northumberland Fusiliers 10816 Private 1st Durham Light Infantry 52320	Class Z

28 May 1920, No. 1 York

DURHAM LIGHT INFANTRY Corps or Department

Medal Roll of Individuals entitled to the “India General Service Medal, 1908,” with Clasp inscribed “Afghanistan, North-West Frontier, 1919”

under the provisions of Army Order No. 223, dated 3^rd June 1920.

At the time the decoration was earned			Entitled to
Regimental or Department Number	Rank	Name	Corps or Department in which The Decoration was earned	Whether already in possession of The Indian Medal of 1908	Medal	Clasp inscribed “Afghanistan, North-West Frontier, 1919,” and clause of Army Order under which eligible	Remarks
52320	Private	LAWLOR Daniel	1st Battalion Durham Light Infantry	No	Yes	Yes ‘A’	4438523 Durham Light Infantry, serving

I certify that the individuals named in this roll were actually present on the occasion for which the decoration is claimed under the terms of the above quoted Army Order.

Place: York

Date: 12 October 1922

[Source: The National Archives: W100/I12/478]

2^nd Battalion The Durham Light Infantry Corps or Department

Medal roll of individuals entitled to the “India General Service Medal, 1908 and Clasps (or clasps only) under Army Instruction (India) 68 of 1933

At the time the decoration was earned	Corps or Department in which The Decoration was earned	If already in receipt of I.G.S. Medal, 1908. (Yes or Mo)	State Clasps entitled to under the above-mentioned Army Instruction (India)	Remarks
Regimental or Department Number	Rank	Name
4438523	Private	D LAWLER Depot	2nd Battalion Durham Light Infantry	No Yes Medal & clasp returned & clasp only re-issued Feb 1935-NW/5/38041	North West Frontier 1930 & 31		Now with 1st Battalion Depot Durham Light Infantry

I certify that the individuals named in this roll were actually present on the occasion for which the decoration is claimed.

Place: Barrackpore [Barrackpur, India]

Date: 24 Mar 1934

[Source: The National Archives: W100/495]

Commonwealth War Graves Commission

LAWLOR, Pte. Daniel, 4438523. 1^st Bn. The Durham Light Infantry. 21^st April, 1941. Age 45. Son of Daniel and Anne Lawlor, of Felling, Co. Durham. K.12.

Cairo War Memorial Cemetery EG.2

Grave Registration Report Form

Country: Egypt

Place of Burial: Cairo War Memorial Cemetery

PRG	No. and Rank	Initials, Name & Honours	Unit	Date of Death
Plot “K”
12	4438523 Private	D LAWLOR	1st Bn. Durham Light Infantry	23. Apr 1941

SCHEDULE “A”

Form H/2

Page No. 4

Name of Burial Place: Cairo War Memorial Cemetery, Egypt No. 1

1017/1/A/8    K.12   31

4438523 Private

D. LAWLOR

The Durham Light Infantry

21^st April 1941 Age 45

(Cross)

Eternal rest

Give unto him, O Lord

R.I.P.