Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of Colonel The Honourable William Lawson D.S.O., of Barton Court, Kintbury, Berkshire., and Staveley Lodge, Melton Mowbray, Leics. William Bernard W. was born in 1893 in Grosvenor Street, Hanover Square, London, his siblings were Margery O., born 1889, Frederick, born 1891, and Olive E., born 1892, all his siblings were born in Hanover Square, Grosvenor Street, London, in March 1901 the family home was at 72, South Audley Street, St. George, Hanover Square, London. In April 1911 William was a school boarder and was residing at Eton College, Buckinghamshire. On Friday October 30th 1914 The Melton Mowbray Times & Vale of Belvoir Gazette published the following article under the heading. “MELTON’S ROLL OF HONOUR” – SIX LOCAL OFFICERS KILLED.- A telegram was received at Staveley Lodge, Melton Mowbray, on Tuesday announcing that Lieut. W. Lawson, Scots Guards (younger son of Colonel the Hon. W. A. W. Lawson, D.S.O.) had been wounded, but the nature of his injuries was not stated. Unfortunately this was followed up the next day by a further telegram from Lord Kitchener to Colonel Lawson stating: “I regret to inform you that Second Lieut. W. B. Lawson, Scots Guards was killed in action on the 22nd.” Lieut. Lawson who was 21 years of age last August, passed at Sandhurst about two years ago, and at once obtained a commission in his father’s old regiment, the Scots Guards. He has taken a keen interest in his profession, and with the men has proved himself a most popular young officer. Only a few days ago Colonel Lawson received a letter from the Colonel commanding the Scots Guards giving an exceedingly favourable report on his sons conduct in the field. A cheerful letter from the deceased officer was received by his relatives as recently as last Friday, or the day after he was killed. On hearing that her brother had been wounded, Miss Olive Lawson was preparing to leave for France in order to see him when the sad news of his death arrived. Since joining the army Lieut. Lawson has frequently visited Staveley Lodge for the purpose of hunting, a sport to which he like all the other members of his family was devotedly attached, and it will be recalled that last winter he was badly knocked out as the result of a fall in the hunting field shortly after his father had met with a serious accident. For the past 21 years Colonel Lawson and the members of his family have been universally esteemed in Melton Mowbray and district, and the deepest sympathy of the inhabitants will be extended to them in their bereavement. Lieut. Fred Lawson, who has recently been promoted from Second Lieut. to Lieut., leaves today for the front with the Buckinghamshire Yeomanry.