Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Baltic 1854-55 (J. E. W. Lawrence, R.M. Artillery) with attractive silver riband brooch for wearing, contemporary engraved naming, edge nicks, nearly extremely fine £200-250

Joseph Edward Wilson Lawrence, who was born near Gosport, was commissioned into the Royal Marine Artillery as a 2nd Lieutenant in December 1838 and was advanced to 1st Lieutenant in November 1842.

In the latter rank he served aboard the steam-sloop H.M.S. Gorgon on the east coast of South America 1843-46, and was mentioned in despatches for his services at the attack on the forts at Point Obligado on the Panama River on 20 November 1845. On that occasion he superintended the ‘shell practice’ and then led ashore the principal storming party of 180 seamen - they attacked a strong Argentine force, skilfully posted in a wood, with riflemen in the trees, and drove them out. In his subsequent despatch, Captain Hotham, R.N., stated:

‘First Lieutenant J. E. W. Lawrence, R.M.A., also acted as my aide-de-camp, and has a strong claim on my gratitude, principally through his instrumentality a brigade of seamen has been formed capable, I am satisfied, of resisting cavalry.’

Lawrence, who had earlier served at Monte Video and been present at the taking of Colonia and Martin Garcia, was next employed by the diplomatic mission at Assumption, but in June 1846 was back in action against the batteries on the cliffs of St. Lorenzo, in a four hour engagement. He then completed his South American tour of duty with another stint at Monte Video, assisting in the defence of that city during the long drawn-out siege, the R.M.A. manning four 32-pounders in a battery near the harbour on the right of the city fortifications - they were in action on several occasions when Argentine troops made threatening approaches from their camp five miles off.

Having been advanced to Captain in November 1852, Lawrence witnessed further action in the Baltic operations of 1855, not least when he commanded the right division of the R.M.A’s mortar boats at the bombardment of Sveaborg in August of that year (see Lot 1217 for further details of this spectacular action). He was mentioned in despatches by Rear-Admiral R. S. Dundas, C.B. (London Gazette 17 August 1855) and given the Brevet of Major.

Lawrence was placed on half-pay and appointed Paymaster of the Artillery Division in November 1859, and attained the rank of Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel in January 1865. He died at Portsmouth in March 1870.