Volunteers restore grave of Napoleonic war veteran

The grave of a notable soldier who fought in the Battle of Waterloo has been restored by volunteers.

Sgt William Lawrence's posthumously published autobiography was one of the most famous first-hand accounts of the Napoleonic wars.

He died in Studland, Dorset, in 1869 and is buried in the same plot as his French wife at St Nicholas Church.

Their headstone has been cleaned by the Napoleonic and Revolutionary War Graves Charity (NRWGC) to mark the 210th anniversary of Napoleon's final battle.

Sgt Lawrence served in South America and fought throughout the Napoleonic wars.

During Waterloo, on 18 June 1815, his 40th Regiment of Foot was in the thick of the battle.

He was awarded the silver medal with 10 clasps for fighting in major battles, as well as the Waterloo medal – the first issued to soldiers of all ranks.

He remained in France as part of the army of occupation where he met and married Clotilde Clairet.

The couple later returned to England and became landlords of the Wellington Inn, Studland.

Clotilde died in 1853 and is commemorated on the opposite side of the same headstone at St Nicholas'.

The restoration was carried out by NRWGC founder Dr Zack White of Portsmouth University, Prof Ed Coss of the US Army Command and General Staff College, and retired US Army Command Sergeant Major Alexander McMillan.

William Lawrence was born in 1791 at Briantspuddle and started out as a building apprentice before joining the military.

NRWGC chair Dr Graeme Callister described him as "an ordinary lad who went to war for his country".

He said: "We hope that some will be inspired to find out more about William, the conflict he was in, or his life with Clotilde.

"This clean really highlights the importance of the NRWGC's work in preserving the graves and monuments of soldiers from the Napoleonic Wars."

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