Name
Lawrence Sidney Bontor
23 April 1896
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
04/10/1918
26
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Lieutenant
Royal Navy
H.M. Submarine "L10"
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Navy Star, British War Medal and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
PORTSMOUTH NAVAL MEMORIAL
Panel 28
United Kingdom
Headstone Inscription
N/A
UK & Other Memorials
Berkhamsted Town Memorial, St Peter’s Church Plaque, Berkhamsted
Pre War
Lawrence Sidney Bontor was born on 23 April 1896 in Berkhamsted, Herts, the son of Sidney Algernon and Ada Bontor, and baptised on 27 May 1896 in Great Berkhamsted. He had one older brother called Algernon Arthur.
On the 1901 Census the family were living at 167 High Street, Berkhamsted, where his father was recorded as a Doctor of Medicine.
He joined the navy on 15 January 1909 and at the time of 1911 Census 14-year-old Lawrence was a naval cadet at Dartmouth, Devon and his parents had moved to Elm Grove House, Berkhamsted. Lawrence later served as a Midshipman on HMS Bellerophon
Wartime Service
Lawrence was killed in action on HM Submarine L10 on 4 October 1918. The submarine was involved in efforts to counteract German attempts to lay mines in British waters. It was sunk by gunfire from the German Destroyer S33. Lt Commander Whitehouse made a torpedo attack on the German Destroyer S33 as it was engaged in trying to rescue survivors of its sister ship Destroyer S34 which had run into a minefield. In making his attack Lt Commander Whitehouse inadvertently allowed the submarine's conning tower to broach the surface which was sighted by S33 which then made its successful gun attack on the L10. S33 was badly damaged and had to be sunk by other German forces.
All 39 sailors on board L10 were lost. Their names are commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial.
Additional Information
Probate was granted to his father on 22 February 1919 with effects of £1053 7s 6d.
In March 2020 the wreck of the L10 was found near the island of Terschelling, Netherlands.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Jo Bayley, rnsubs.co.uk/public/newsletters/2018
