Great-grandfather from Maidstone who served in the Second World War sadly dies before VE Day anniversary
17:41, 13 May 2020
updated: 18:05, 13 May 2020
A great-grandfather who had to wait years for official acknowledgement of his heroic war efforts, died before he could mark the 75th anniversary of VE Day.
John Lawrence, 97, from Maidstone, was due to have his wartime work featured on banners displayed in the County Town as part of OneMaidstone's project commemorating the milestone year. This is now on hold due to the coronavirus lockdown.
Sadly Mr Lawrence, who joined the Royal Navy aged just 15, passed away last month after a short illness. He had been living at Maidstone Care Centre, in Boxley Road.
He came close to death in 1941 when on his cruiser, off the coast of Sri Lanka, he was attacked by a wave of 60 Japanese bomber planes, launched from the same attack fleet that struck at Pearl Harbour.
His ship sank and he spent 30 hours in the water until rescue came.
He was also part of the Arctic Convoys, a mission which saw British ships carry vital supplies across the seas to help re-supply Soviet Russia which had been drawn into the war on the Allied side.
The brutal conditions faced by sailors included ice, gales and extreme cold and ships were constant bombing targets.
Mr Lawrence was acting petty officer aboard the destroyer HMS Milne when in 1943 she was assigned as part of the escort to a convoy of 22 merchant ships bound for Murmansk.
Speaking of the experience he said: “It was damn cold and we were in the worst seas I have ever seen with huge waves. At one point the ship rolled 40 degrees. I thought ‘this is it, we‘re never coming up from this’ but we did.”
In 2013, the 70th anniversary of the convoys, the Government announced it would finally recognise the efforts of those involved, by allowing them to apply for an Arctic Star medal.
A funeral service was held today for Mr Lawrence, who also served in the Korean War in the 1950s, at Maidstone Cemetery.
He leaves five children, 15 grandchildren as well as a large brood of great-grandchildren.
OneMaidstone hopes to use its 75 stories campaign material during Remembrance Sunday commemorations.
Despite the nation being on lockdown, many took to their driveways and gardens to hold street parties to celebrate 75 years since VE Day heralded the end of fighting in Europe.
