James Lawrence**

James was born around Feb 1884 in Portsea, Portsmouth to Thomas (John?) and Rose Lawrence; his occupation was 'groom'. Prior to WW1, James was a career solider with the Army Service Corps and was listed as a solider based in the Royal Barracks Dublin at the time of his marriage. James originally enlisted c. Sept 1902 in Aldershot, UK.  He appears to have been based in Longford town in 1907 and 1909 from his military records, before being transferred to Dublin. He re-enlisted with the RASC in Mar 1916, at the rank of Driver for extended service for the duration of the war. 

James married originally from Co. Longford, in Aughrim St, Dublin on the 13 Nov 1910. Bridget was the daugther of Michael, a tailor, and Mary Anne, of Chapel Street, Longford.  James and Bridget had two children, Rose Anne/ Rosanne born in 1913 in Holles St Hospital, while the family were living at Montpelier Hill, Dublin; James was born in 1915 in Longford town. Bridget appears to have remained in Longford for the duration of James's war service, and is recorded as residing here in his 1916 re-enlistment and pension records as living at 4 Chapel Lane, Longford. 

During WW1, James was deployed to France on the 16 Aug 1914, and served there until 12 Sept 1915. He then returned to serve on the Home front, in Britain or Ireland. James at the end of his first period of service gave his contact address as 3 Chapel St; he renlisted in 1916. He served in Salonika from Jan 1917 and was promoted to Lance Corporal in 1918. Sadly, he contracted malaria and died at the Military Hospital in Faenza.

Link to CWGC entry; ink to Civil Record of Marriage; WW1 Pensions Ledger Index entry 1 (Fold3.com, subscription site); link to James Jr's birth; link to WW1 Service record, 1916 enlistment (Fold3.com)