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Terence Lawler - Information

Terence Lawler was born in Campbelltown c1873. When the war commenced, Terence was living in Southern Cross, Western Australia and working as a labourer. At the ripe old age of 43, Terence enlisted in the AIF in Perth on the 10th of May 1916. During training, he was allocated to the 11th Battalion, and then stationed to the 10th Reinforcements, 32nd Battalion. Terence’s unit embarked Fremantle on the 28th of October 1916 upon the HMAT Port Melbourne.

Terence landed in Devonport at the end of December for further training. He was then shipped out from Folkestone to France in March 1917. By the beginning of April, he had joined the 32nd Battalion in the lines. At the time, the Germans had withdrawn to a new defensive position, known as the Hindenburg Line. The 32nd were ordered to advance on the new German location at Bullecourt. It was a horrendous battle, they ran into thick barbed wire and enfilading fire, with Germans well-protected by concrete blockhouses. Later in the year they were to fight in the mud during the Third Battle of Ypres in Belgium. In April 1918, Terence was evacuated to hospital in England after accidentally scalding his right arm. He remained in England for some time, and on the 23rd of September was ordered back to Australia for senility. He was discharged from the army in December 1918, and resided at 347 Bourke St in Darlinghurst.