
Four. British War Medal 1914-20, Victory Medal, Canadian Volunteer Service Medal, and War Medal 1939-45 (Canadian issue). BWM and Victory named to 877577 A. SJT. W.M. LAURENCE. R.C.R. William "Bill" Mariner Laurence was born in Strathlorne, Inverness County, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia on 1 July 1895. He was living in Inverness, Nova Scotia and working as an accountant when he enlisted in the 185th Battalion (Cape Breton Highlanders), Canadian Expeditionary Force, on 20 March 1916. He had prior military experience with the 94th Victoria Regiment "Argyll Highlanders",
a local Cape Breton militia unit. Bill joined the 185th Battalion in Broughton, an abandoned mining town near Sydney, Nova Scotia, where it was in the process of recruiting and mobilizing. He trained with the battalion in Broughton during the early spring of 1916, and later at Camp Aldershot, Nova Scotia during the summer and fall. While at Aldershot, Bill was promoted to Corporal and a short time later to Sergeant. He was assigned to the machine gun section. In October 1916, Bill sailed overseas with the battalion to England where they were stationed at Witley Camp. From the fall of 1916 to the winter of 1917-1918, the 185th Battalion continued to train in England until orders arrived that the unit was to be disbanded and its men sent as reinforcements for Canadian units already at the front. Probably to hasten his transfer to a fighting unit, on February 25, 1918, Bill, at his own request, "reverted to the ranks," and became a private again. On 1 March 1918, Bill deployed to France with a draft of 100 men from the 185th Battalion, reinforcements for the Royal Canadian Regiment. They joined their new unit a few days later at Cellars Camp, a rest camp at Neuville St Vaast, not far from Vimy Ridge. They moved back into the front lines a few days later. Bill remained with the Royal Canadian Regiment during the heavy fighting through to the end of the war. He returned to Canada in early March, 1919, and was demobilized in Halifax, Nova Scotia on 10 March 1919. After the war, Bill returned to Inverness and was employed with the Inverness Railway before moving to Sydney, Nova Scotia, where he took a job with a wholesale company. When the Second World War broke out, Bill enlisted again and served with the Veterans Guard. He was serving as a sergeant major, stationed in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, when he died unexpectedly of cardiac arrest while on leave visiting his wife in Great Village, Nova Scotia on the night of 26 September 1941. He was 46 years old. Bill Laurence was laid to rest in Hardwood Hill Cemetery in Sydney, Nova Scotia. Medals are swing mounted on original period ribbons. Group is accompanied by a hard copy research file that includes Laurence's service record, a copy portrait of him in the uniform of the 185th Bn CEF, and his obituary.
VF Condition $500 |