205478 Pte. Reginald Harry Lawrence British Army 7th Battalion Somerset Light Infantry from:Nottingham My Father Reginald Harry Lawrence enlisted at Nottingham Recruiting Centre on 19th October 1916 when he was 17 years old, like many other recruits he said he was older than he was. He joined the Army Service Corps and was mobilized on 23rd February 1917. On 10th July 1917 he left Southampton to join No.4 Base Remount Depot B.E.F. France arriving in Boulogne on 11th July.
He was compulsorily transferred to the Somerset Light Infantry for posting to the 7th Battalion on 13th March 1918. He was sent up line and on the second day up line was gassed. After this he complained of general nervousness & dibility but was not sent off Line. He carried on after this with much difficulty.
Everything else that happened is very vague. I know my Father had shrapnel wounds in his legs and that he spent almost two years in hospital after the war, his date of discharge from hospital was 5th March 1920.
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