Frederic Laurence

Laurence was born in Marylebone, London, the younger son of Mr. and Mrs. Gerard Laurence, later of Letchworth, Hertfordshire.{{cite journal |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1924/1924%20-%200039.html |title=Personals: To be Married |issue=786 |volume=XVI |page=39 |journal=Flight |date=17 January 1924 |accessdate=24 April 2015 }}

Laurence was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the 6th (Extra Reserve) Battalion, Worcestershire Regiment, being confirmed in his rank on 6 March 1915.{{London Gazette |date=5 March 1915 |issue=29091 |page=2251 }} He was later seconded to the Royal Flying Corps, being appointed a flying officer on 23 May 1917.{{London Gazette |date=3 July 1917 |supp=y |issue=30162 |page=6628 |nolink=yes}} He then served as a flight commander in No. 70 Squadron, flying a Sopwith Camel single-seat fighter.Shores et.al. (1990), p.234. He gained his first victory, shared with the rest of his flight, on 28 July 1917 by driving down a German two-seater over Ypres. On 20 October he drove down an Albatros D.V over the Roulers—Menin road, and another west of Roulers the following day. A week later, on 27 October, he scored twice, driving down two more D.Vs over Roulers, one solo and the other shared with Major Nethersole, Lieutenant Goode, and Second Lieutenants Frank Hobson, C. W. Primeau, and Edward Booth. On 26 November he was awarded the Military Cross.{{London Gazette |date=23 November 1917 |supp=y |issue=30399 |page=12319 |nolink=yes}}

Laurence remained in the Royal Air Force post-war, being granted a short service commission as a flight lieutenant on 24 October 1919,{{London Gazette |date=24 October 1919 |issue=31616 |page=13032 |nolink=yes}} relinquishing his commission in the 6th Worcesters the same day.{{London Gazette |date=13 July 1920 |supp=y |issue=31979 |page=7545 |nolink=yes}} On 13 January 1922 his short service commission was cancelled, as he was granted a permanent commission, backdated to October 1919.{{cite journal |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1922/1922%20-%200093.html |title=Royal Air Force: Appointments |issue=685 |volume=XIV |page=93 |journal=Flight|date=9 February 1922 |accessdate=24 April 2015 }}

After serving at the Boys' Wing at RAF Cranwell, Laurence was transferred to the RAF Depot (Inland Area) as a supernumerary officer on 14 November 1922,{{cite journal |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1922/1922%20-%200679.html |title=Royal Air Force: Appointments |issue=725 |volume=XIV |page=679 |journal=Flight|date=16 November 1922 |accessdate=24 April 2015 }} before being posted to the No. 2 Flying Training School on 23 February 1923.{{cite journal |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1923/1923%20-%200139.html |title=Royal Air Force: Appointments |issue=741 |volume=XV |page=139 |journal=Flight|date=8 March 1923 |accessdate=24 April 2015 }} From 1 to 13 September 1923 he was transferred to the half-pay list, pending embarkation overseas,{{London Gazette |date=4 September 1923 |issue=32859 |page=5993 |nolink=yes}}{{London Gazette |date=21 September 1923 |issue=32864 |page=6348 |nolink=yes}}{{cite journal |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1923/1923%20-%200539.html |title=Royal Air Force: Appointments |issue=767 |volume=XV |page=539 |journal=Flight|date=6 September 1923 |accessdate=24 April 2015 }} then travelled to India to serve in No. 27 Squadron from 14 September 1923.{{cite journal |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1923/1923%20-%200587.html |title=Royal Air Force: Appointments |issue=770 |volume=XV |page=587 |journal=Flight|date=27 September 1923 |accessdate=24 April 2015 }} In February 1924, in Bombay, he married Marjorie Vera ("Daidie") Rawlinson of Graythwaite Old Hall, Ulverston, Lancashire. On 26 January 1926 Laurence was transferred to RAF Headquarters, India,{{cite journal |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1926/1926%20-%200171.html |title=Royal Air Force: Appointments |issue=898 |volume=XVIII |page=151 |journal=Flight|date=11 March 1926 |accessdate=24 April 2015 }} then to the Aircraft Depot on 1 September 1927,{{cite journal |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1927/1927%20-%200822.html |title=Royal Air Force: Appointments |issue=982 |volume=XIX |page=744 |journal=Flight|date=20 October 1927 |accessdate=24 April 2015 }} before returning to England.

On 5 March 1928 Laurence was posted to RAF Calshot,{{cite journal |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1928/1928%20-%200203.html |title=Royal Air Force: Appointments |issue=1003 |volume=XX |page=183 |journal=Flight|date=15 March 1928 |accessdate=24 April 2015 }} joining No. 480 Flight there on 15 August,{{cite journal |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1928/1928%20-%200930.html |title=Royal Air Force: Appointments |issue=1032 |volume=XX |page=860 |journal=Flight|date=4 October 1928 |accessdate=24 April 2015 }} flying the Supermarine Southampton. On 12 December 1928 he was promoted to squadron leader,{{London Gazette |date=11 December 1928 |issue=33446 |page=8173 |nolink=yes}} taking command of No. 204 (Flying Boat) Squadron at RAF Cattewater on 1 February 1929.{{cite journal |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1929/1929%20-%200815.html |title=Royal Air Force: Appointments |issue=1060 |volume=XXI |page=327 |journal=Flight|date=18 April 1929 |accessdate=24 April 2015 }} On 9 December 1930 he was posted to No. 3 Flying Training School at RAF Grantham,{{cite journal |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1930/untitled0%20-%201579.html |title=Royal Air Force: Appointments |issue=1148 |volume=XXII |page=1493 |journal=Flight|date=26 December 1930 |accessdate=24 April 2015 }} then to the Armament and Gunnery School at RAF Eastchurch on 29 October 1931.{{cite journal |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1931/1931%20-%201259.html |title=Royal Air Force: Appointments |issue=1196 |volume=XXIII |page=1181 |journal=Flight|date=27 November 1931 |accessdate=24 April 2015 }}

1932 was a particularly active year for Laurence. On 8 February he was sent to the Central Flying School at RAF Wittering for a flying refresher course.{{cite journal |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1932/1932%20-%200199.html |title=Royal Air Force: Appointments |issue=1209 |volume=XXIV |page=183 |journal=Flight|date=26 February 1932 |accessdate=24 April 2015 }} Then, after a period on half-pay between 2 and 17 April{{London Gazette |date=12 April 1932 |issue=33816 |page=2404 |nolink=yes}} he was posted to the RAF Depot at RAF Uxbridge while attending a course at Senior Officers' School at Sheerness,{{cite journal |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1932/1932%20-%200439.html |title=Royal Air Force: Appointments |issue=1219 |volume=XXIV |page=407 |journal=Flight|date=6 May 1932 |accessdate=24 April 2015 }} and was then attached to the office of the Judge Advocate General from 7 July.{{cite journal |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1932/1932%20-%200747.html |title=Royal Air Force: Appointments |issue=1230 |volume=XXIV |page=699 |journal=Flight|date=22 July 1932 |accessdate=24 April 2015 }} Laurence was on half-pay again from 23 to 30 September,{{London Gazette |date=4 October 1932 |issue=33870 |page=6252 |nolink=yes}} before being posted to the Headquarters of RAF Transjordan and Palestine, based in Jerusalem, for personnel staff duties.{{cite journal |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1932/1932%20-%201069.html |title=Royal Air Force: Appointments |issue=1243 |volume=XXIV |page=997 |journal=Flight|date=20 October 1932 |accessdate=24 April 2015 }}

Laurence was promoted to wing commander on 1 July 1935,{{London Gazette |date=2 July 1935 |issue=34176 |page=4262 |nolink=yes}} leaving his post at Jerusalem on 23 November 1935,{{cite journal |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1935/1935%20-2-%200699.html |title=Royal Air Force: Appointments |issue=1407 |volume=XXVIII |page=633 |journal=Flight|date=12 December 1935 |accessdate=24 April 2015 }} and serving as Senior Personnel Staff Officer at the Headquarters of No. 2 (Bombing) Group at RAF Abingdon from 14 July 1936.{{cite journal |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1936/1936%20-%202159.html |title=Royal Air Force: Appointments |issue=1441 |volume=XXX |page=160 |journal=Flight|date=6 August 1936 |accessdate=24 April 2015 }} On 1 March 1937 he was appointed station commander of RAF Southampton,{{cite journal |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1937/1937%20-%200735.html |title=Royal Air Force: Appointments |issue=1473 |volume=XXXI |page=281 |journal=Flight|date=18 March 1937 |accessdate=24 April 2015 }} and on 1 January 1939 was promoted to group captain.{{London Gazette |date=3 January 1939 |issue=34586 |page=62 |nolink=yes}}

Laurence served throughout the Second World War, before finally retiring from the RAF on 31 December 1945.{{London Gazette |date=15 March 1946 |supp=y |issue=37504 |page=1433 |nolink=yes}}

• List of World War I aces credited with 5 victories
• List of World War I flying aces from the British Empire

{{reflist}}

• {{cite book |first1=Christopher F. |last1=Shores |first2=Norman |last2=Franks |authorlink2=Norman Franks |first3=Russell F. |last3=Guest |title=Above the Trenches: a Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the British Empire Air Forces 1915–1920 |location=London, UK |publisher=Grub Street |year=1990 |isbn=978-0-948817-19-9 |name-list-style=amp}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Laurence, Frederic Hope}}

Category:1896 births

Category:1982 deaths

Category:British Army personnel of World War I

Category:Military personnel from the City of Westminster

Category:People from Marylebone

Category:Worcestershire Militia officers

Category:Worcestershire Regiment officers

Category:Royal Flying Corps officers

Category:Royal Air Force personnel of World War I

Category:British World War I flying aces

Category:Recipients of the Military Cross

Category:Royal Air Force personnel of World War II