Laurie was born in Brignorth, Shropshire. He trained as a carpenter and moved to Henfield in 1940 as a foreman with builders Fowlers of Cowfold. After the war he returned to Henfield, saying "I had my eye on a certain young lady". He married Ivy Matilda Thompsett in 1946. He eventually became a Clerk of Works and later an estate manager. He was an active member of the Henfield Village Produce Association, which he chaired for 30 years, frequently winning cups for his daffodils. He also sat on the National Committee for the Association. He built his own house on a quarter acre plot in the village in 1950.
| Unit or location | Role | Posted from | until |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tottington Manor, Small Dole, West Sussex | RE Section | 1940 | unknown |
Carpenter
Laurie worked as a carpenter in the Royal Engineers. He was posted to help build Auxiliary Units OBs in Sussex, billeted at St Marys House, Bramber. Two OBs he worked on were at Wiston and Storrington.
He spent seven years in the Army, serving in France and reportedly also with the Long Range Desert Group in North Africa.
Brignorth,
Shropshire (1939)
West Sussex County Times 7 Feb 1997
West Sussex Gazette 9 Apr 1998
Ancestry.co.uk
1939 register
Royal Engineer record card on FindMyPast