Tom Lawrence

Tom Lawrence was educated at King Charles I school, Kidderminster, and in 1894 joined the 17th Hussars as a private. He served in the South African War at the end of the 19th century and was awarded the Victoria Cross (VC) for an amazing act of gallantry.

On 7 August 1900, Lawrence (then a sergeant) and a private Hayman were attacked and outnumbered by a group of Boers. Hayman’s horse was shot from under him and he was trapped under the horse with a badly dislocated shoulder. Lawrence bravely lifted Hayman onto his own horse and they sped to safety. Lawrence received his VC personally from King Edward VII in London on 12 August 1902.

Upon his return to England after the Boer War, Lawrence transferred to the 18th Hussars and was made their riding master with an honorary commission as a captain. He gave distinguished service in World War I, despite being injured in 1914. He also saw service in the early part of the 1939-45 hostilities. Lawrence retired from the Army having attained the rank of lieutenant-colonel.

Being a distinguished horseman, Lawrence was one of three officers in the British Army team that finished third in the 1910 King’s Cup jumping competition at the International Horse Show at Olympia, behind Belgium and France. He went to the 1912 Stockholm Olympics, competing in both the team and individual three-day event events.