The grave of 2nd Lieutenant Lawrence Paul Strawson was rededicated at a moving ceremony today at Calonne Communal Cemetery, Belgium. The service was arranged by the MOD’s Joint Casualty & Compassionate Centre (JCCC) and led by the Reverend Justin Bradbury, Regimental Chaplain, The Queen’s Royal Hussars.

2nd Lieutenant Strawson was killed on 21 May 1940 fighting a desperate rear-guard action in Calonne, Belgium. They had spent the night being relentlessly and heavily shelled by German forces, who threatened to envelop their reserve companies, when their Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Colonel Baker, decided to lead a daring but risky counter-attack. He assembled around 50 men from HQ, which included the signals officer, 2nd Lieutenant Strawson. The force set off for the ridge that lay between Calonne and HQ at Warnaffles Farm. Even before they reached this point, they came under heavy artillery fire and suffered many causalities. The survivors continued firing until their ammunition ran out. It was only when night fell many hours later, that these few remaining survivors were able to crawl back to HQ. This attack was the last time Lawrence was seen alive.

2nd Lieutenant Strawson was born on 3 December 1915 in Nice, France but grew up in Surrey. He enlisted in the Territorial Army in January 1937 and joined the Artists’ Rifles as a Private. He was granted an emergency commission as 2nd Lieutenant on October 1939 and was posted to the 8th Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment and sent to France on 11 January 1940. Tragically, on 21 May 1940, he was listed as “missing presumed killed”.

Lawrence’s burial place had remained unknown, until the grave of an unknown 2nd Lieutenant buried in Calonne Cemetery, Belgium was brought to the attention of the MOD. After extensive historical research into this unknown grave, it has been agreed by the MOD’s JCCC that this grave is that of 2nd Lieutenant Lawrence Strawson.

Gt Niece, Julia Cottam and family with those conducting the service, Crown Copyright, All rights reserved

The great niece of 2nd Lieutenant Strawson, Julia Cottam, was able to attend the service with her family, and said:

It was an honour to be able to represent my family here today and finally put a name on my great uncle’s headstone.

Nicola Nash, from the Joint Casualty & Compassionate Centre (JCCC), said:

It has been a privilege to commemorate this brave officer who gave his life for his country. Today has been made even more special by having members of his family attend.

Rogerson was sole director of GKTD Limited, an oil consultancy based in Aberdeen which was placed into compulsory liquidation at the request of HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) in July 2015, has been disqualified from being a director for 5 years.

The disqualification order against Rogerson was made for failing to ensure his company met its financial commitments to HMRC. Despite not making all the required VAT, Corporation Tax and PAYE payments, Rogerson paid himself £379,697 up to 20 January 2015 according to company accounts. He also made payments to various other creditors. On the appointment of the Liquidator, HMRC was the company’s only creditor and was owed £55,009.

Robert Clarke, Head of Company Investigation at the Insolvency Service said:

The majority of businesses pay their taxes as required. In this case, not only did the company gain an unfair advantage by not paying its taxes properly, but the director also benefitted personally, taking large amounts of money that could have been used to pay its outstanding tax.

This ban should serve as a reminder to any directors tempted to do the same: the Insolvency Service will vigorously investigate you and seek to remove you from the marketplace.

Notes to editors

GKTD Limited (CRO No. SC387579) went into compulsory liquidation on 3 July 2015. The company was incorporated to allow Mr Rogerson to provide Management Consultancy Services.

Graeme Stewart Rogerson’s date of birth is September 1971.

A disqualification order has the effect that without specific permission of a court, a person with a disqualification cannot:

• act as a director of a company
• take part, directly or indirectly, in the promotion, formation or management of a company or limited liability partnership
• be a receiver of a company’s property

Disqualification undertakings are the administrative equivalent of a disqualification order but do not involve court proceedings.

Persons subject to a disqualification order are bound by a range of other restrictions.

Further information about the work of the Insolvency Service, and how to complain about financial misconduct, is available.

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The Environment Agency’s flagship Lincshore scheme involves dredging sand from the seabed and pumping it onto the beach, replacing levels lost to the sea during the winter.

This reduces the risk of waves reaching and overtopping the main sea defences, protecting them from damage and erosion.

This year, the £6.8m project will begin Monday, 24 April at Boygrift. Over the next 6 weeks, beaches at Trusthorpe, Mablethorpe, Ingoldmells, Trunch Lane, Wolla Bank, Chapel Six Marshes and Huttoft will be replenished.

Mark Robinson, senior coastal advisor at the Environment Agency, said:

The beaches take the brunt of the waves’ energy, which would otherwise impact on coastal defences such as sea walls. Storms and large waves are more frequent during winter months, leading to erosion of the sand from these beaches.

” Replacing the sand helps extend the life of the sea defences – defences that reduce coastal flood risk to more than 30,000 homes and businesses, 19,000 static caravans and 35,000 hectares of land.

Additionally there’s an amenity value, benefitting and encouraging tourism on the coast, as otherwise there would be very little sand on our beaches.

Mark added:

We time our works to minimise disruption to local communities and visitors, but unfortunately we will need to close off sections of beach while we’re working on them to keep people safe.

This work is important to maintain coastal flood defences, so we appreciate residents’ ongoing patience if there’s minor disruption.

This year, around 350,000m3 of sand will be dredged from designated areas 20km offshore. The dredger used will be the HAM316, which carries about 10,000 tonnes of sand at a time. Additionally, the equipment used to move sand on the beach has the lowest carbon footprint of its class.

Lincshore first began in 1994 and covers 20km of beach frontage between Skegness and Mablethorpe.

The Environment Agency is currently reviewing how coastal flood risk will continue to be managed in the future and will be seeking the views of local communities, businesses and partners to help shape this.

While Lincshore helps maintain an excellent standard of protection from flooding, those living and working in coastal communities should take steps to ensure they know what to do in an emergency – such as knowing your risk, making a plan, and signing up for our free flood warnings. To find out more, call 0345 988 1188 or visit our website.

Four boaters who did not register their vessels have been landed with penalties totalling almost £4,000.

It’s after river inspectors found 6 boats without registration plates moored on the Nene in Northamptonshire, part of the Environment Agency’s Anglian Waterways network. Three of the vessels were owned by just one offender.

It is a legal requirement for boat owners to register any vessel they keep, use or let for hire on Environment Agency waterways, and to clearly display a valid registration plate. None of the 4 boat owners had done so.

Andrew MacGilliuray of Kestrel Lane in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, Jim Brown of Station Road in Ringstead, Northamptonshire, Steve Caines of Abbey Road in Lancing, West Sussex, and Raymond Davis of Friars Avenue, Northampton, all failed to register their vessels as required by law.

Their cases were heard at Northampton Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, 28 March, and resulted in fines and costs totalling £3,927.23. Mr MacGilliuray, who owned 3 of the 6 boats, was ordered to pay a total of £1,357.96, Mr Brown £1,112.29, Mr Caines £838, and Mr Davis £628.98.

Nathan Arnold, Partnerships and Development team leader at the Environment Agency, said:

Our historic and precious waterways are an important part of our nation’s heritage and are enjoyed by hundreds of thousands of people every year.

A significant part of caring for them, protecting them, and ensuring people continue to enjoy them is funded by boaters paying their way. Those who don’t contribute as they should are threatening the future of our waterways – and we won’t hesitate to take action against them.

As well as not contributing to the upkeep of waterways, unregistered boats can be unsafe, hazardous to other river users, and a pollution risk to the local environment and wildlife.

The Environment Agency looks after 353 miles of navigable waterways in the Anglian network, which includes the Ancholme, Black Sluice, Glen, Welland, Nene, Great Ouse and Stour, as well as associated locks and navigation facilities like moorings, showers and toilets.

More information about boating and waterways, including registering vessels, is available at www.gov.uk/ea. If you suspect a boat is illegal, please contact the Environment Agency on 03708 506 506 or email our waterways team (mailto:waterways.enforcementanglian@environment-agency.gov.uk).

ENDS

Notes to editors:

• Andrew MacGilliuary of Kestrel Lane, Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, pleaded guilty and was fined £960.96. He was also ordered to pay costs of £300 and a victim surcharge of £97. The total penalty was £1,357.96. He kept three unregistered vessels, namely Dee Jay, Big Dee II and Barbara Lee, on the River Nene at Willy Watt Marina, Northamptonshire.

• Jim Brown of Station Road, Ringstead, Northamptonshire, pleaded guilty and was fined £783.29. He was also ordered to pay costs of £250 and a victim surcharge of £79. The total penalty was £1,112.29. His vessel, called Tee Hee III, was found on the River Nene at Blackthorn Lake Marina.

• Steve Caines of Abbey Road, Lancing, West Sussex, was proved guilty in absence and fined £535. He was also ordered to pay costs of £250 and a victim surcharge of £53. The total penalty was £838. His vessel, called Sunflower, was found on the River Nene at Willy Watt Marina.

• Raymond Davis of Friars Avenue, Northampton, Northamptonshire, pleaded guilty by post and was fine £343.98. He was also ordered to pay costs of £250 and a victim surcharge of £35. The total penalty was £628.98. His vessel, called Galton, was found on the River Nene at Northampton Marina.

Boat owners are being urged to make sure their vessels are properly registered – or face paying thousands of pounds in penalties.

The call comes after inspectors found 4 boats moored without their registration plates on the river Great Ouse. The rivers are part of the Anglian Waterways network managed by the Environment Agency.

The discovery resulted in the vessels’ owners being prosecuted and ordered to forfeit almost £2,500 between them.

It is a legal requirement for boaters to register any craft they keep, use, or let for hire on Environment Agency waterways, and to clearly display a valid registration plate.

Howard Kirtley of Barkers Lane in Bedford, James O’Brian of Church Road in Hitchin, Stephen Jaskolski of Ridgehill in Hereford, and William Warnock of School Lane in Buckden, all failed to register their vessels as required by law.

Their cases were heard at Luton Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday 4 April, and resulted in fines and costs totalling £2,445. Mr Kirtley was ordered to pay a total penalty of £635, Mr O’Brian £855, Mr Jaskolski £635, and Mr Warnock £465.

Nathan Arnold, Partnerships and Development team leader at the Environment Agency, said:

Our historic and precious waterways are an important part of our nation’s heritage and are enjoyed by hundreds of thousands of people every year,” says

A significant part of caring for them, protecting them, and ensuring people continue to enjoy them is funded by boaters paying their way. Those who don’t contribute as they should are threatening the future of our waterways – and we won’t hesitate to take action against them.

As well as not contributing to the upkeep of waterways, unregistered boats can be unsafe, hazardous to other river users, and a pollution risk to the local environment and wildlife.

The Environment Agency looks after 353 miles of navigable waterways in the Anglian network, which includes the Ancholme, Black Sluice, Glen, Welland, Nene, Great Ouse and Stour, as well as associated locks and navigation facilities like moorings, showers and toilets.

More information about boating and waterways, including registering vessels, is available at www.gov.uk/ea. If you suspect a boat is illegal, please contact the Environment Agency on 03708 506 506 or email our waterways team.

ENDS

Notes to editors:

• Howard Kirtley of Barkers Lane, Bedford, pleaded guilty by post and was fined £350. He was also ordered to pay costs of £250 and a victim surcharge of £35. The total penalty was £635. His vessel, called Roovin Moon, was found on the Great Ouse at Priory Marina, Bedford.

• James O’Brian of Church Road, Hitchin, was proved guilty in absence and was fined £550. He was also ordered to pay costs of £250 and a victim surcharge of £55. The total penalty was £855. His vessel, called Happy Days, was found on the Great Ouse at Kelpie Marina, Bedford.

• Stephen Jaskolski of Ridgehill, Hereford, was pleaded guilty by post and fined £350. He was also ordered to pay costs of £250 and a victim surcharge of £35. The total penalty was £635. His vessel, called Isadora, was found on the Great Ouse at Priory Marina, Bedford.

• William Warnock of School Lane, Buckden, pleaded guilty and was fined £195. He was also ordered to pay costs of £250 and a victim surcharge of £20. The total penalty was £465. His vessel, called Happy H, was found on the Great Ouse at Priory Marina, Bedford.