John K. Lawson
| John Kelburne Lawson | |
|---|---|
| Born | 27 December 1886 |
| Died | 19 December 1941 (aged 54) Hong Kong |
| Buried at | Sai Wan War Cemetery |
| Allegiance |
 Canada
|
| Service/branch |
 Canadian Army
|
| Years of service | 1914–1941 |
| Rank | Brigadier |
| Battles/wars |
|
| Awards | Croix de guerre |
Brigadier John Kelburne Lawson (27 December 1886 – 19 December 1941) was the senior Canadian officer and commander of the West Brigade during the Battle of Hong Kong. He was the most senior officer to be killed in action during the battle and the highest ranking Canadian soldier killed in action in the Second World War.
Lawson was born in Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire. He migrated to Edmonton in 1914 where he worked as a clerk for the Hudson's Bay Company. He enlisted in the Canadian Army upon the outbreak of the First World War. He joined the 9th Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force and variously worked at the 1st Canadian Motor Machine Gun Brigade and at Corps Headquarters. Although he is often incorrectly attributed a Military Cross for actions at the Battle of Passchendaele or the Battle of the Somme, he did receive two Mentioned in Despatches and a Croix de Guerre. Lawson joined as a Private in 1914, and rose to the rank of Warrant Officer First Class before commissioning. He held the rank of Captain at the end of the war.
Lawson joined the Permanent Force during the interwar years. He held various positions in Calgary, Kingston, Toronto, and Ottawa. He completed staff college in Quetta in 1923–1924, and was posted to the War Office in London, England in 1930.
When the Second World War broke out, he was Director of Military Training in Ottawa, and was given the command of the Royal Rifles of Canada and The Winnipeg Grenadiers and the other Canadian support units who arrived in Hong Kong on 16 November 1941 as reinforcements for the British garrison there.
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