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Canadian Virtual War Memorial

Harry Richard Lawson

In memory of:

Flight Sergeant Harry Richard Lawson

May 16, 1944
The North Sea

Military Service


Service Number:

R/170867

Age:

23

Force:

Air Force

Unit:

Royal Canadian Air Force

Division:

625 Sqdn.

Additional Information


Son of Harry C. and Mabel Lawson, of Toronto, Ontario.

Commemorated on Page 361 of the Second World War Book of Remembrance. Request a copy of this page. Download high resolution copy of this page.

Burial Information


Cemetery:

RUNNYMEDE MEMORIAL
Surrey, United Kingdom

Grave Reference:

Panel 255.

Location:

During the Second World War more than 116,000 men and women of the Air Forces of the British Commonwealth gave their lives in service. More than 17,000 of these were members of the Royal Canadian Air Force, or Canadians serving with the Royal Air Force. Approximately one-third of all who died have no known grave. Of these, 20,450 are commemorated by name on the Runnymede Memorial, which is situated at Englefield Green, near Egham, 32 kilometers by road west of London.

The design of the Runnymede Memorial is original and striking. On the crest of Cooper's Hill, overlooking the Thames, a square tower dominates a cloister, in the centre of which rests the Stone of Remembrance. The cloistered walks terminate in two lookouts, one facing towards Windsor, and the other towards London Airport at Heathrow. The names of the dead are inscribed on the stone reveals of the narrow windows in the cloisters and the lookouts. They include those of 3,050 Canadian airmen. Above the three-arched entrance to the cloister is a great stone eagle with the Royal Air Force motto, Per Ardua ad Astra". On each side is the inscription:

IN THIS CLOISTER ARE RECORDED THE NAMES OF TWENTY THOUSAND AIRMEN WHO HAVE NO KNOWN GRAVE. THEY DIED FOR FREEDOM IN RAID AND SORTIE OVER THE BRITISH ISLES AND THE LANDS AND SEAS OF NORTHERN AND WESTERN EUROPE

In the tower a vaulted shrine, which provides a quiet place for contemplation, contains illuminated verses by Paul H. Scott."

Information courtesy of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

Digital Collection

Send us your images

  • Memorial– Father J P Lardie's comments as inscribed on the Bomber Command Memorial Wall in Nanton, AB … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens
  • Memorial– Flight Sergeant Harry Richard Lawson is also commemorated on the Bomber Command Memorial Wall in Nanton, AB … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens
  • Memorial– Flight Sergeant Harry Richard Lawson is also commemorated on the Bomber Command Memorial Wall in Nanton, AB … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens
  • Photo of Harry Richard Lawson– Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me
  • Service Book– Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me
  • Correspondence– Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me
  • Correspondence– Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me
  • Attestation paper– Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me
  • Attestation Paper– Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me
  • Group Photo– Photo and story courtesy of Air War Over Denmark www.flensted.eu.com

Photo of crew members:
Rear L to R: F/S (AG) F. N. McDonough RAAF, F/S (BA) H. R. Lawson RCAF, Sgt. (W/Op) E. Wilkinson, Sgt.(FE) Albert Dix
Front Row L to R: F/O (N) Merrall RCAF, P/O (P) Robert Beadle, Sgt. (AG) James Potter.

 Lancaster I LL894 of 625 (RAF) Sqn took off 22:02 from Kelstern on Gardening (Mining) operation to Kiel Bay. The aircraft is believed to have been shot down by a night fighter at 01:53 hours and crashed into the North Sea 60 kilometres WNW of Westerland/Sylt killing the crew.

The body of Sgt Dix was found washed ashore on the island of Fanø on 14/6.
He was laid to rest in Fovrfelt cemetery in Esbjerg on 19/6-44.
The bodies of the remainder of the crew were unrecovered and their names are on the Runnymede War Memorial.
  • Memorial– Inscription - Runnymede Memorial - April 2017 … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens

Learn more about the Canadian Virtual War Memorial

To learn more please visit our help page. If you have questions or comments regarding the information contained in this registry, email or call us. For inquiries regarding the names and information found in the RCMP Honour Roll, please email the RCMP.

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