Pilot Officer Charles Patrick Lawton
- Rank
- Pilot Officer
- Service number
- 406251
- Unit
- Royal Australian Air Force 459 Squadron
- Cause of death
- Killed in Action
- Place of death
- Edcu, Egypt
- Date of death
- 10 July 1942
- Age
- 30
- Plaque number
- L365
- Dedicated by
- Family on 16 December 2006
- More information
Biography presented during plaque dedication:
Pilot Officer Charles Patrick Lawton of 459 Squadron was born in Perth in July 1912, one of two sons and two daughters of Charles and Margaret Lawton of Gooseberry Hill.
He attended school at Christian Brothers College Perth where he played football and cricket. He also commenced a Diploma of Commerce degree at UWA.
He joined the ES&A bank in Perth and later transferred to Fremantle. There he realised that an opportunity existed in Ceylon to open an import and export business.
As war threatened he went to England as a company representative and joined the local fire brigade.
After Australia declared war he returned home and enlisted in the RAAF in October 1940.
Charles did his initial training at Bradfield Park in Sydney. Then he embarked for Canada and graduated as a navigator-observer in March 1941, then went to England for further training.
He was posted to 459 squadron which flew both Hudson and Blenheim medium bombers. He was promoted to pilot officer in June 1942.
Pilot Officer Charles Patrick Lawton, service number 406251, was killed in action in Egypt on the 10th July 1942. He was 30 years old.