Lot 615
A SILVER SALVER ENGRAVED TO T D LAWRIE A COMMANDO KIA.
A presentation silver salver of large size, with hallmarks for Chester 1937. Engraved with a Royal Scots badge above Lieutenant T D Lawrie The Royal Scots, from his brother officers 10th April 1937.
The husband of Mrs Rosemary Anne Hale Lawrie, he was Killed in Action 13th September 1943. Whilst serving with No 2 Commando as a Major 2nd I/C, days after the initial Battle for Salerno during Operation Avalanche.
The salver is likely to have been given on the occasion of his marriage or a promotion.
He was 2 1/C of the No 2 Army Commando, under Brigadier Robert Laycock. They alongside the 41st Royal Marine Commando, took part in Operation Avalanche on the 9th September 1943. The commanding officer for this was Major General Mark Clark, of the USA. It was his decision not to order a Naval Bombardment first, believing they would catch the Germans by surprise. His plan was thrown open, when the Royal Navy discovered the minefield's off Salerno beach. The Landing Craft carrying the joint Invasion Forces, had to sail an extra 12 miles to land. After the landing that was not heavily opposed at first by the Germans, British X Corps pushed inland.
At first light under Laycock's command, No 2 Commando captured Salerno town after some heavy fighting. By the end of the day X Corps had pushed between 5 - 7 miles inland.
Luftwaffe planes had been straffing and bombing the invasion forces on the beaches, from shortly after 04:00 hrs. The capture of the Airfield at nearby Montecorvino. lessened these attacks.
It was in this later fighting for Vietri sal Mare in the Battle for Dragonea a village between Vietri sal Mare and Cava dei Tirreni, that Major A/Lt/Col Thomas Dick Lawrie was killed in action. 13th September 1943.
It was during the heavy counterattack by the Germans on the 13th September, where the depleted X Corps had taken up thinly stretched defensive positions with every Battalion committed. There were at the time no reserves available, the 1st Battalion the 157th Infantry was overrun at Persano. Later the 143rd Infantry was virtually wiped out.
The infamous Salerno Mutiny took place on the 16th September with some 400-500 men of X Corps, refusing to accept rearrangement to other new units. By then X Corps had suffered some 6000 casualties. Nearly 250 men and NCO's still refused to follow orders, resulting in Court Martials. Three NCO's were sentenced to death, though this was later rescinded to 12 years imprisonment, then a return to their original units. A sad outcome for these men was their military careers suffered, even though they had returned to their home bases.
Thomas Dick Lawrie is commemorated in Salerno War Cemetery. Remembered with Honour.
Weight 23 ounces approx.
See Illustration
