Originally from Lindsay Ontario, Mr. Lawrence graduated from Ryerson Polytechnical Institute (Toronto) in 1971 with a diploma in Electronics Technology. He began his professional career in a Research & Development lab in support of a Canadian cable television equipment manufacturer before joining the Canadian Forces as a Communications and Electronics officer in 1975.
He retired as a Major in 1996 having served in field and staff position
throughout Canada and having gained experience in both air defence radar and
signals intelligence. As a
retirement project, he is working on a Bachelor of Military Arts and Science
degree at the Royal Military College of Canada.
Mr. Lawrence obtained his amateur radio licence in 1988 and found that he could easily combine this hobby with his interest in military history. He was one of the founding members of the Wireless Set No. 19 Group in 1991 and went on to establish the Signals/Telecom Section of the Museum of Applied Military History (re-enactment group) the following year.
Since that time he has provided many displays and lectures on the history of communications technology and its role in military events. He is the primary net controller for the Wireless Set No. 19 Group and recently completed a term as an Assistant Director (Ontario North) for Radio Amateurs’ of Canada.
For six
years following his retirement Mr. Lawrence volunteered one day a week at the
Military Communications and Electronics Museum in Kingston.
He now volunteers at Fort Henry National Historic Site, working with the
small-arms collection.
Mr. Lawrence lives on a fifteen-acre property along the Rideau Canal just north of Kingston, Ontario. His other hobbies include kayaking, motorcycling and using a flight simulator to pilot the Douglas DC-3.
His preference is for lowland, single-malt scotch.
March 2005
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