A Wandering Ulsterman's 'Korea Service' British Empire Medal pair: Lance-Corporal William Norritt Stewart Lawson, 28th Field Regiment Royal Engineers, 1st Commonwealth Division - later a Marine Engineer, who became a naturalized 'New Zealander

- British Empire Medal (Military). EIIR issue (22844618 L/Cpl. William N. S. Lawson, R.E.)
- United Nations Service Medal. With clasp 'Korea' (22844618 L/Cpl Lawson. W. N. R.E.)

The double digits '44' only on the B.E.M. are over-struck, and exactly as issued. Uncommonly the United Nations medal has been engraved named, as described (see images) this presumably done at regimental level prior to the medal presentation

Sold together with:

- Royal Mint hinged leatherette case of issue, with gilt tooled medal name on upper outer lid
- Original card box with protective inserts, as issued

Award verification: The British Empire Medal to Lance-Corporal Lawson, Royal Engineers, was an award for service in Korea, and was published in the London Gazette issue of 9 June 1955. The official preamble to the list of awards stating:

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In recognition of services in Korea during the period 1 August 1954 to 31 January 1955

Unquote.

The original Recommendation (Citation), for the award, was initiated on 1 February 1955, and the extract details are shown below:

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(i) Place: KOREA

(ii) Date of action or period covered by citation: 1 August 54 to 31 January 55

(iii) How employed: NCO IC and earlier Spr IC Divisional Water Point

(iv) Other detail: This sapper is a fitter is a fitter who has been employed during the greater part of he period in question at the Divisional water point at Cobalt. He has been responsible for the efficient functioning of the machinery, on which the water supply of the division has depended, and has shown great skill and devotion to duty at this isolated task. Weather conditions have varied from flood to intense cold, and Sapper Lawson has worked all hours of the day and night, with judgement and determination, to keep the equipment in order. No day has passed without the division being able to draw water, and many of our neighbouring allies whose water points had failed under the extreme climate, were supplied from this source

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Immediately after leaving the British Army, William developed a life-long career as a Merchant Seaman / Marine Engineer. William was already a serving Cadet with Line, when he was officially presented with the award of his British Empire Medal at an official presentation ceremony held in Belfast, Northern Ireland, on. Smartly dressed in his Merchant Navy cadet uniform, and proudly wearing his United Nations Service Medal for Korea, he appears in a captioned photograph with accompanying article that was published in the 'Belfast News-Letter' issue of, 18 August 1956, and which we are quoting below:

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B.E.M. FOR SERVICES N KOREA

Mr. William Norritt Stewart Lawson, Antrim Road, Belfast, was invested with the British Empire Medal for services in Korea by Lieut-General Sir Brian Kimmins, G.O.C. Northern Ireland District, in Thiepval Barracks. Lisburn, yesterday.

After congratulating Mr. Lawson, who served with the 55 Independent Field Squadron Royal Engineers, on his "very proud record." Sir Brian asked his A.D.C. to read the citation.

It was taken from the "London Gazette" of June 9, 1955, and read as follows:- "Sapper Lawson is a fitter who has been employed at the Divisional water point at Cobalt. He has been responsible for the efficient functioning of the machinery, on which the water supply of the division has depended, and has shown great skill and devotion to duty at this isolated task. Weather conditions have varied from flood to intense cold, and Sapper Lawson has worked all hours of the day and night, with judgement and determination, to keep the equipment in order. No day has passed without the division being able to draw water, and many of our neighbouring allies whose water points had failed under the extreme climate, were supplied from this source."

A son of the late Dr. and Mrs. H. J. Lawson, Larne, Mr. Lawson is a great-nephew of Sir James Norritt. At present he is an engineer officer in the Head Line steamer 'Radmore Head'. He will be leaving Belfast in about a fortnight for Montreal.

Picture shows Mr. Lawson receiving the medal from Sir Brian Kimmins

Unquote.

William Norritt Stewart Lawson, son of Ulsterman Dr Hubert Lawson, Malayan Medical Service (who died interred at the Sime Road Civilian Internment Camp, in enemy occupied Singapore on, 2 December 1944) and Marjorie Lawson (nee Brockbank and a scion of a Lancashire shipbuilding family), was born at Kula Lumpur, Malaya, on, 4 April 1930. Following the tragic death of his first wife, William left Northern Ireland, and after some years residence in Australia, where he remained employed as a sea-going Marine Engineer, he relocated to New Zealand, where on, 9 October 1973, he became a naturalised New Zealand citizen. William is reported to have died in Auckland, New Zealand, sometime in 2006

Both medals Medals mounted individually in the swing-style and as-worn by the recipient. Both medals retaining their original silk ribands and respective mounting brooch bars, that for the B.E.M. as issued by the Royal Mint, both mounting bars retaining their original long hinged pin and clasp fittings as-worn by the recipient

Condition: About EF

Code: 24094