Remembering World War II

Name: Robert Leonard Lawrence Rank: Private Service No.: F/57336 Service: North Shore (New Brunswick) Regiment Date of Birth: March 28, 1924 Place of Birth: New Glasgow, Pictou Co., NS Date of Enlistment: August 12, 1943 Place of Enlistment: Halifax, NS Age at Enlistment: 19 Address at Enlistment: New Glasgow, Pictou Co., NS Height: 5 feet, 5 ¼ inches Trade: Painter Marital Status: Single Next of Kin: Mae Alice Lawrence (Mother) Religion: Baptist Date of Death: August 13, 1944 Age: 20 Cemetery: Bayeux War Cemetery, Bayeux, France Grave: Section IV, Row A, Grave 13 Commemorated on Page 361 of the Second World War Book of Remembrance Displayed in the Memorial Chamber of the Peace Tower in Ottawa on August 2 Robert Leonard Lawrence was the foster-son and nephew of Norman Henry Lawrence (1897-1972) and Mae Alice (Bowden) Lawrence (1894-1970), of Guysborough, Guysborough Co., Nova Scotia. His father was born in Boylston, Guysborough Co., and his mother was born in Guysborough. Robert had only turned 19 less than five months prior to enlisting. He was a painter at the Pictou County Ship Yards prior to enlistment. During his training, he was stationed at the Canadian Army Basic Training Centre No. 60, also known as Camp 60, in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, from September 3 to November 4, 1943. He was sick and admitted to the Camp Hospital at Aldershot, NS from January 18 to February 6, 1944. After 2 weeks embarkation leave from April 13 to April 29, 1944, he departed Canada April 4, disembarking in the UK on May 7, 1944. He then departed UK on June 22nd, landing in France June 23, 1944. On the night of August 8, 1944, the First Canadian Army launched Operation Totalize, directing their advance towards Falaise, with the intention of breaking through the German defences south of Caen. The offensive was relaunched a few days later under the name Operation Tractable, the intention this time being to capture the strategically important town of Falaise and close the 'Falaise Pocket', also known as the 'Corridor of Death'. Operation Tractable, which took place from August 14-17, 1944, was the final attack conducted by Canadian and Polish troops, supported by a British tank brigade, during the Battle of Normandy during WWII. The operation was to capture the tactically important French town of Falaise and then the smaller towns of Trun, and Chambois. Robert died August 13, 1944, from gunshot wounds received in action on August 8, 1944, during the Normandy Campaign. The inscription on his grave reads, 'Tis a loving father calls the wanderer home; "Whosoever will may come”

Robert Leonard Lawrence

Sources: Canadian Virtual War Memorial