Cecil Lawrence | ParaData

Cecil 'Buckey' Lawrence served with The 25th Lancers RAC before volunteering for the airborne forces early 1944. His service number was part of a batch issued to members of the Royal Norfolk Regiment, which suggests this is the unit he originally enlisted with.

Museum records indicate that Cecil volunteered for the airborne forces having previously served with The RAC. He was successfully parachute jump trained at RAF Ringway on Course 105. This course ran between 1 and 14 March 1944. His jump instructor noted this about Cecil's performance on the course:

"Good confident performer, cheerful disposition"

After this training he became a member of The Parachute Regiment and may have served with both The 8th and 9th Bns.

His BEM is listed in The London Gazette 7 January 1949. In this record he is listed as being a member of The Royal Norfolk Regiment. Records suggest he transferred out of The Parachute Regiment to The Royal Norfolks 31 July 1947.

At some point Cecil returned to The Parachute Regiment, and after becoming the RSM of 11th Bn (TA) he then went on to become RSM of 1 PARA.

However this service with be clarified once his service records have been obtained and read through.

Date not known
The 1st Battalion The Parachute Regiment (1 PARA) (Sergeant-Major)
1944
9th (Essex) Parachute Battalion

Operations

Event

Canal Zone Egypt

This had followed tension in Persia after British alarm at the nationalisation of its oil industry and fears for the safety of British nationals. The Brigade deployed to Cyprus in June aboard the Aircraft Carriers HMS Triumph and Warrior, the situation proving to be a false alarm.

Event

Cyprus (EOKA Campaign)

A continual round of village cordon and search operations, road blocks, curfews, law enforcement and riot control followed. Operations were directed against terrorist enclaves in the Kyrenian and Troodos Mountains and the Paphos Forest.

Event

Normandy (Operation Overlord)

Operation Overlord, the Allied invasion of occupied Europe commonly known as D-Day, saw the 6th Airborne Division for the first time.

Event

Palestine

Arab intransigence over the surge of Jewish immigration that followed the Holocaust in Europe led to the forming of extreme dissident Zionist groups such as IZL (Irgun Zwai Leumi) and the Stern Gang, all seeking to promote their aims through violence.

Event

Suez (Operation Musketeer)

French paratroopers with part of the 1st (Guards) Independent Parachute Company were to capture two vital bridges leading south from Port Said and isolate the town.

Decorations

BEM

1949

Article

Eulogy of Cecil Lawrence BEM

Laurie as we all knew him, was born on 30 April 1923, the second youngest of nine children.

Cecil Lawrence BEM wearing maroon beret and a blazer with his medals

Group photos_2

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A Company 1 PARA Brunswick Germany, 1949.

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Group photograph of 1st Battalion Sergeants Mess, Moascar, Egypt, 1953

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Latest Comments

Brian M Riordan said:

In 1948 I became Company Clerk of A Coy 1 Para under rather unusual circumstances. The CSM was WO2 Lawrence and I was reading Company orders outside the office when CSM Lawrence appears and says" Can you type Riordan?" I replied "No sir" He replied "You'd better learn fast you are the new Company Clerk and Coy Orders are due out in an hour"!!

I remained his CC until 1950 when I was promoted Sgt.

His nickname was Buckey but the lads all called him "Bucket" (behind his back of course). He later became Drill Sergeant of 1 Para.

George Hollowood said:

With reference to WO II Drill Sergeant Lawrence. He could terrify a new bod at fifty yards, and once bawled at a new man posted to 1 PARA Canal Zone "WHATS MY NAME?", to which the terrified new bod stammered "B- B- B- Bucket sir", the rest is history.
This is absolutely true I was there.

David Gollop said:

RSM Lawrence became the RSM of 1 PARA in 1956, when the battalion was stationed at Primosole Camp, near Nicosia, during the Cyprus Emergency. He succeeded WO1 Duffy and took part in anti EOKA operations until the battalion returned to the UK in December 1956. RSM Lawrence also took part in the landings at Port Said in November 1956. He was indeed known as 'Bucket' to most ranks, but I also suspect not to his face. He continued as 1 PARA RSM., until mid 1957, when he was in turn succeeded by RSM Bromley.

tomgodwinmbe said:

"RSM Lawrence used to take , "Rifle Exercises to the Beat of the Drum ", from a Dias on Montgomery Square . You dare not even twitch ! Between Beats. When he threw a Sergeant off the Square and had him marched to the Guardroom under Escort. It concentrated the minds of all the TOMS on Parade.

Richard Joyce said:

I only did 3 years but served under 3 RSM
Smokey Furness
Lawrence
Duffy
Bromley
they were all frightening figures to a young Drummer , but I thought Bucket the best , the last time we meet was at pompey paras southsea , he sang the praises of "his toms ".
once in Cyprus 58 we got info of a terrorist hide and he called me to go with him double quick (I was a Bren gunner and often chosen to pair up with whoever was in charge ) he set off with a map case and a pistol with me trying to keep up on a steep incline the gun fell forward on the sling hence the mag was facing down ,got to the top ......no mag Ive lost my mag sir , well go back and get it ,some chance of finding that , Im in deep ....... now ,but not far down there it was caught from falling further by an upright sapling ,I kissed it rushed up and found him waiting for me ......the hide was deserted, he never told me off Rest in peace Sir .

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Warrant Officer Class 1 Cecil Lawrence BEM

{ Buckey, Bucket }

Service History