The grave of 2nd Lieutenant Lawrence Paul Strawson was rededicated at a moving ceremony today at Calonne Communal Cemetery, Belgium. The service was arranged by the MOD’s Joint Casualty & Compassionate Centre (JCCC) and led by the Reverend Justin Bradbury, Regimental Chaplain, The Queen’s Royal Hussars.

2nd Lieutenant Strawson was killed on 21 May 1940 fighting a desperate rear-guard action in Calonne, Belgium. They had spent the night being relentlessly and heavily shelled by German forces, who threatened to envelop their reserve companies, when their Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Colonel Baker, decided to lead a daring but risky counter-attack. He assembled around 50 men from HQ, which included the signals officer, 2nd Lieutenant Strawson. The force set off for the ridge that lay between Calonne and HQ at Warnaffles Farm. Even before they reached this point, they came under heavy artillery fire and suffered many causalities. The survivors continued firing until their ammunition ran out. It was only when night fell many hours later, that these few remaining survivors were able to crawl back to HQ. This attack was the last time Lawrence was seen alive.

2nd Lieutenant Strawson was born on 3 December 1915 in Nice, France but grew up in Surrey. He enlisted in the Territorial Army in January 1937 and joined the Artists’ Rifles as a Private. He was granted an emergency commission as 2nd Lieutenant on October 1939 and was posted to the 8th Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment and sent to France on 11 January 1940. Tragically, on 21 May 1940, he was listed as “missing presumed killed”.

Lawrence’s burial place had remained unknown, until the grave of an unknown 2nd Lieutenant buried in Calonne Cemetery, Belgium was brought to the attention of the MOD. After extensive historical research into this unknown grave, it has been agreed by the MOD’s JCCC that this grave is that of 2nd Lieutenant Lawrence Strawson.

Gt Niece, Julia Cottam and family with those conducting the service, Crown Copyright, All rights reserved

The great niece of 2nd Lieutenant Strawson, Julia Cottam, was able to attend the service with her family, and said:

It was an honour to be able to represent my family here today and finally put a name on my great uncle’s headstone.

Nicola Nash, from the Joint Casualty & Compassionate Centre (JCCC), said:

It has been a privilege to commemorate this brave officer who gave his life for his country. Today has been made even more special by having members of his family attend.

Diane Abbott MP,
Labour’s Shadow Home Secretary, commenting on the Government’s failure to ensure a fair system
of allocation for asylum seekers, said:

“The Government’s
policy is deeply flawed and unfair. When it comes to the settling of asylum
seekers, it’s a case of Tory nimbyism.

“They are overwhelmingly
allocated to poorer areas. Ministers have also cut funding, even for councils
that have capacity to take more.

“By failing to
institute a fair system of allocation, or a fair system of funding, the Tories
are letting down asylum seekers and the communities where they are allocated.”

Ends

Rogerson was sole director of GKTD Limited, an oil consultancy based in Aberdeen which was placed into compulsory liquidation at the request of HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) in July 2015, has been disqualified from being a director for 5 years.

The disqualification order against Rogerson was made for failing to ensure his company met its financial commitments to HMRC. Despite not making all the required VAT, Corporation Tax and PAYE payments, Rogerson paid himself £379,697 up to 20 January 2015 according to company accounts. He also made payments to various other creditors. On the appointment of the Liquidator, HMRC was the company’s only creditor and was owed £55,009.

Robert Clarke, Head of Company Investigation at the Insolvency Service said:

The majority of businesses pay their taxes as required. In this case, not only did the company gain an unfair advantage by not paying its taxes properly, but the director also benefitted personally, taking large amounts of money that could have been used to pay its outstanding tax.

This ban should serve as a reminder to any directors tempted to do the same: the Insolvency Service will vigorously investigate you and seek to remove you from the marketplace.

Notes to editors

GKTD Limited (CRO No. SC387579) went into compulsory liquidation on 3 July 2015. The company was incorporated to allow Mr Rogerson to provide Management Consultancy Services.

Graeme Stewart Rogerson’s date of birth is September 1971.

A disqualification order has the effect that without specific permission of a court, a person with a disqualification cannot:

• act as a director of a company
• take part, directly or indirectly, in the promotion, formation or management of a company or limited liability partnership
• be a receiver of a company’s property

Disqualification undertakings are the administrative equivalent of a disqualification order but do not involve court proceedings.

Persons subject to a disqualification order are bound by a range of other restrictions.

Further information about the work of the Insolvency Service, and how to complain about financial misconduct, is available.

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