Squire Lawrence Horsman
Item
Title
Squire Lawrence Horsman
Who?
Squire Lawrence Horsman
Item(s)
Commission paperwork, flying log, aerial photographs, Home Guard certificate and photo.
Story
Squire Lawrence Horsman (who was not a squire – this was his name) was a pupil at Bradford Grammar School he joined the 6th West Yorkshires. He was only 18 when he went to France. He was wounded in the thigh on 9/9/1916 at Sunken Road on the Somme when his revolver went off in his pocket after the revolver was hit by shrapnel. He was evacuated to hospital – the wound was left open to drain. He convalesced in Oxford, possibly at St John’s College. He did a musketry course at Clipstone Camp possibly training others. He was commissioned in 1917. He became a pilot on 22/1/1918. He flew his first sortie into France on an observer aircraft on 25/7/1918. At one point he was shot down after being attacked by 5 Fockers. He survived but his plane was full of bullet holes and unusable.
After the war he was offered his old job back in a solicitor’s office. He declined and became a mill engineer working at Lister Mill, Bradford.
After the war he was offered his old job back in a solicitor’s office. He declined and became a mill engineer working at Lister Mill, Bradford.
When?
1914-18
Where?
France
Contributor
David Tomlinson (Squire's grandson)
Collection Day
City Hall, Bradford (02/02/2019)
This item was submitted on March 27, 2019