Grave of Lieutenant Guy F. Lawler - Haifa War Cemetery

[Guest Lawler]

I have come across the impressive section on the men buried in the Haifa War Cemetery by - Michaeldr Lieut-General - posted 11th march 2011.

One of those men is Lieut. Guy F. Lawler, firstly I must point out his nationality was Irish on his father's side and English on his mothers, she was a St Aubyn. At the bottom of the information is written - 'It is not clear to what the LG is referring when it says 'Killed in Action' however, there was some Palestinian rioting at about this time and that may be connected.'

I have infront of me a copy of 3 and a quarter pages [longer than A4] of an official report headed a 'Summary of Events at Beisan. - 22nd. April and night 22/23 April. 1920.' which gives times of the unfolding of the events throughout the dates of the 22nd and the 23rd given by Captain D.P. Whitworth Commanding 2nd. Lancers. Plus the translation of a letter from Amir Bashir to the D.M.G. Beisan and the reply to Amir Bashir's letter from F.W. Thorneycroft. Lieut. A/Deputy Military Governor. Beisan. There is also attached a traced map of a rough sketch at 1" = 1 mile of country round Beisan and a rough sketch of Beisan village scale about 2" to 100x

A copy of a letter attached to the summary of events dated 2nd May 1920 from Captain Dysart Whitworth conveys the deepest sympathies of all the 2nd Lancers to one the sisters of Gt-uncle Guy. In his letter Capt. Whitworth explains and I quote -

'We had been hurriedly sent down fron Jenin to Beisan to punish the Ghazzewiyeh tribe, not knowing that they had collected all the neighbouring tribes on that day with the idea of seizing Beisan. The next day, instead of meeting a comparatively small body of Arabs, we ran into this concentrated force and, as you will read, only saved Beisan after a very hard fight.'

Capt. Whitworth goes on to write to my gt-aunt that he was with gt-uncle Guy when two men firing a Hotchkiss gun were hit. He left and went away to rally the other end of the line which was also being hard pressed. He later heard from Dafadar Buland Singh that gt-uncle Guy went to the assistance of one of the wounded and he himself was hit in the thigh. Buland Singh went and dragged him back but he was hit again in the neck and died instantly.

I hope the above is helpful.

Jill.

[michaeldr]

I am very sorry that I missed this back in October 2011

but I have added an edit to the original post here http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=160827&st=0#entry1562158

and tender my belated but nevertheless sincere thanks to Jill for her contribution

Michael