Bridge of Weir
Memorial

PTE THOS LAWRIE 7^TH S.R.

8229 Private Thomas Brown Lawrie

2nd Battalion, Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)


died of wounds 28th February 1915

aged 29


Boulogne Eastern Cemetery
Pittenweem War Memorial


Gryfe View, Bridge of Weir
Son of David Lawrie and Jane Brown

His Life

Thomas Brown Lawrie was born on 14th October 1885 at Kingsbarns, Fife, the third of a family of four born to David Lawrie, a journeyman mason originally from England and Jane Brown, from Crail, Fife, who had married in Crail on 22nd September, 1878.

In 1881 David (28), Jane (29), and their first child James were living with Jane's parents in Pittowie Farm House, Crail, Fife. David was working as a mason.

In 1891 the Lawrie family of six was living at School Wynd, Pittenweem, Fife. Thomas (5) was at school.

In 1901 the family was in 2 Back-gate, Pittenweem. David was now described as a builder, son James a mason, daughter Mary a dressmaker, and Thomas (15) a railway-clerk apprentice.

In 1911, the family was still in 2 Back-gate, although James and Mary had left the family home. Thomas (25) was by now a mason and younger brother David a joiner, perhaps both employed in their father's masonry business.

Sometime between 1911 and the start of the war, Thomas took up employment as a mason with John Cumming, builder, in Kilmacolm and found accommodation in Gryffe View, Bridge of Weir.

Thomas Lawrie volunteered in September 1914 and one local newspaper has him signing up for the Royal Engineers, but the report of his death 8 months later in the same newspaper places him in the 2nd Battalion, Scottish Rifles (for which there is a corresponding "Soldiers Died in the Great War" record, one of the comparatively few Fifers to have enlisted in Glasgow). Another anomaly arises in the memorial having him in 7th Battalion, Scottish Rifles, which in February 1915 was still in the UK and would not see action until June 1915 at Gallipoli.

However, in the absence of stronger evidence to the contrary, 8229 Private Thomas Lawrie who first joined the theatre of war in France on 27th December 1914 is the one on the memorial. The 2nd Battalion formed part of 23rd Brigade, 8th Division. Thomas was hospitalised on 9th February 1915 when he was struck by a bullet while building up trench sandbags in the front line. His war in France had lasted only two months when he died in Boulogne Hospital on 28th February 1915 after developing pneumonia.

Siblings

Sources

• Commonwealth War Graves Commission
• Scottish National War Memorial
• UK, Soldiers Died in the Great War, 1914-1919
• Wasted Journey, The Buddies who never came back. Paisley Library. 940.467; PC17430: O/S
• Thomas Brown Lawrie birth certificate, 14th Oct 1885. Regd. Kingsbarns, Fife. 31st Oct 1885.
• 1881 UK Census: Parish: Crail; ED:6; Page:3; Line:4; Roll: cssct1881_115.
• 1891 UK Census: Parish: Pittenweem; ED:2; Page:19; Line:9; Roll: CSSCT1891_138.
• 1901 UK Census: Parish: Pittenweem; ED:3; Page:16; Line:6; Roll: CSSCT1901_145.
• 1911 UK Census: Parish: Pittenweem; ED: 2; Page 5; Lines 1-4. 452/00 002/00 005.
• Dundee Courier:
  • 3rd March 1915: PITTENWEEM SOLDIER DIES OF WOUNDS:-Lance-Corporal T. Lawrie is the third Pittenweem man to fill a soldier's grave. He was the second son of Mr. David Lawrie, 2 South Loan, Pittenweem, and intimation of his death came to hand yesterday. Lance-Corpl. Lawrie for eleven years served in the Anstruther Corps of Volunteers and latterly in the 7th R.H. Black Watch (Territorials). He re-enlisted early in September in the 4th Scottish Rifles. While undergoing training at Nigg he was raised to the rank of lance corporal. He landed in France on 29th December. While building up the trenches with sand-bags Lance-Corporal Lawrie was wounded in the shoulder by a bullet, which completed its course through the palm of the hand. He was admitted to hospital on 9th February and succumbed to wounds. Lance-Corporal Lawrie's youngest brother is a sapper in the Royal Engineers.
• Paisley and Renfrewshire Gazette
  • 19th September 1914: ROLL OF HONOUR: R.E. - Thomas Laurie, Gryffe-view.
  • 15th May 1915: WOUNDED SOLDIER'S DEATH: - Another local man has been removed from our number by the death of Lance-Corporal Thomas Lawrie, of the 2nd Battalion Scottish Rifles, who was wounded in action and died at Boulogne Hospital, France. Deceased was in his twenty-ninth year, a mason to trade, resided at Gryfe-view, and was last employed by Mr. John Cumming, builder, Kilmacolm.
• Regimental Roll of Honour of the Officers, Warrant Officers, N.C.Os. & Men of The Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)
  o Lawrie, T.B.: L./Corporal: 8229: 2nd Battalion: France 28/2/15: Pittenweem.
• WO95/1715/1: War Diaries: 2nd Battn. The Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) 1914 Nov-1918 Jan. National Archives.
  Trenches near CHAPIGNY, February 1915
  
  • 8th February 1915: Killed Capt & Adjt W.I. Maunsell [the writer of the War Diaries to this date - the handwriting changes thereafter to that of CB George Buchanan Capt Adjt.] & two men. Three men wounded.
  • 9th February 1915: Nothing to report.
  • 10th February 1915: Two killed & four men wounded. Relieved by 2/ Devonshire Regt. and went into Brigade Reserve at LA FLINQUE.
• Medals: Victory, British War, 1914-15 Star.

TO CITE THIS PAGE: MLA style: "Bridge of Weir Memorial". Date of viewing. http://www.memorial.co.uk/profile-lawrie.html