John William Lawton
He was a lace hand.
- Family History
- Military history
- Extra information
- Photographs
John William was the eldest son of John and Elizabeth Lawton (née Barlow) who were married in 1919. In 1921 they were living at 36 Malt Mill Lane, Nottingham, with their son John (4m).
John and Elizabeth were recorded on the 1939 England and Wales Register at 24 Beckford Road, Sneinton, Nottingham. Four children were named on the Register but five records remain closed. Ten births were registered in Nottingham, surname Lawton, mother's maiden name Barlow, including one child, Veronica, born in 1944. The four children named on the Register were John, a lace hand, Herbert (1925), Elizabeth (1926) and George (1931). The five closed records may have been Dorothy (1926), Rosie (1928), Leonard (1932), Albert (1934) and Frank (1934).
John William married Mary Ellen Lawton (née Hazlewood) in 1941 (JFM). In 1939 Mary, a lace machinist (factory), was living at 18 Malt Mill Lane with her mother, Lily.
John and Mary lived at 29 Dryden Street; their son, John W. was born in 1944. Mary married secondly David Haywood in 1959.
Notices of John's death placed in the Nottingham Evening Post by his parents refer to his 'brothers and sisters' including his brother Herbert who was serving in the Royal Navy.
HMS Halstead, ex-Russell, a Captain-class frigate of the Buckley class of destroyer escort, originally intended for the United States Navy.
Commissioned into service in the Royal Navy as HMS Halsted (K556), on 3 November 1943 simultaneously with her transfer, the ship served on patrol and escort duty including, in 1944, the Normandy Landing (Operation Neptune).
On 11 June 1944, she was operating in the English Channel off Cherbourg, France, when German S-boats – known to the Allies as "E-boats" – and the torpedo boats Jaguar and Möwe of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine's 5th Torpedo Flotilla attacked her at about 0200. One torpedo struck her forward of her bridge, blowing off most of her bow and damaging her beyond economical repair. Thirty-four members of Halsted's crew, including Able Seaman John Lawton, were either killed or died of wounds during this attack.
HMS Halsted was declared a constructive total loss and, instead of being returned to the U.S. Navy, was retained by the Royal Navy for spare parts.
John William Lawton died onboard HMS Orangi and is buried in Haslar Royal Naval Cemetery, also known as Clayhill Royal Navy Cemetery (grave ref. A.26.11). The Cemetery is close to the former Royal Naval Hospital, Haslar, Gosport, Portsmouth.
CWGC Additional information: Son of John and Elizabeth Lawton, of Nottingham; husband of Mary Ellen Lawton, of Nottingham.
CWGC headstone personal inscription: 'Resting where no shadows fall'
HMS Halsted: no other ship in the Royal Navy has been named 'Halsted'. However, there is a place called Halsted in Minnesota, USA, which connects with the ship as she was originally intended for the United States Navy.
Nottingham Evening Post, 21 June 1944: ‘Nottingham Seaman’s Death. News have been received by Mrs Mary Lawton, of 29 Dryden-street, Nottingham, that her husband, Able Seaman JW Lawton, has been killed on war service.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
Nottingham Evening Post, ‘Deaths’, 27 June 1944: Lawton. June 1944, Jack (RN), killed in action. Sadly missed. Mam, dad, Herbert (RN), brothers, sisters.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
Nottingham Evening Post, ‘In Memoriam’, 11 June 1945: Lawton. AB John. In proud memory of my dear husband, killed in action, June 11th 1944. Sadly missed. Broken-hearted wife and baby, Mary and John, and mother-in-law [Lily Hazlewood].’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
Nottingham Evening Post, ‘In Memoriam’, 11 June 1946: Notice placed by parents and siblings.
Nottingham Evening Post, ‘In Memoriam’, 11 June 1947: Notice placed by grandmother.
John William Lawton
Nottingham Evening Post 22/6/1944
Photo of John William Lawton
Buried in Haslar Royal Navy Cemetery (www.cwgc.org)