Tribute to WWII veteran Bill Lawson by Jennie Florey

Bill Lawson died in May 2025. He was 104-years-old.

He fought throughout the six years of WWII as an RAF wireless operator acting as the link between the Army forces on the ground and the RAF fighter and bomber aircraft supporting them in the air. He served in the Middle East, in the Desert War, and in the invasions of Sicily and Italy.

Jennie Florey, the Taxi Charity's fundraising consultant, paid tribute to Bill...

Firstly, may I say what a privilege it is to pay this tribute.

What can I say? Bill was for me, and I am sure for many more, a man who was funny, kind, emotional, generous, and who always enjoyed his food! He was a very dear friend, and always an excellent companion!

I had only known Bill for about five years and would have loved to have known him a lot

longer. I met him when living in Somerset and what a privilege that was.

I work with the Taxi Charity for Military Veterans and in May 2019, I asked him if he would like to go to Berlin to mark the 70th anniversary of the Berlin Airlift. This was arranged by the charity for RAF veterans of WWII, of which he was, proudly, one. He was flown over with his son, Eric Lawson, and his great friend Linda Piggott-Vijeh. They were well looked after by the cabbies, who had driven from London. [Click here for more photos and to read Linda's blog about the trip].

The next trip he went on was to Normandy, with another good friend, Ivor Pettitt, who, sadly died in 2023. We have a lovely photograph showing them together at the British Normandy Memorial where 22,442 names of the fallen are inscribed.

They spent their time together, looking at the names that meant something to them.

We also, on behalf of the Taxi Charity, took Bill to the National Arboretum and watched him at the RAF Memorial, with tears in his eyes, as he walked slowly around, gazing at the many names carved there, including those he had known.

He found these occasions very emotional but was glad to be there.

In 2023, the Taxi Charity took Bill on his second trip to Normandy – there is a funny story attached to this trip, which I feel I must tell.

From Portsmouth, it is a six hour sailing and I asked Bill if he would like a cabin in order to have a little rest. He felt, at the age of 102, that this would be a good idea. I asked him if he would mind sharing with one of his fellow veterans and he was quite happy to do so. I booked an outside cabin with two beds and went round the rest of the male veterans to see who would like to join him. All were happily engaged in chatting to each other and said no. I mentioned to one of the cabbies that I was surprised that I had no takers. He was talking with a 97-year-old veteran, Marie Scott, and she immediately said she would love to share a cabin with Bill. Once settled in the cabin apparently, they fell asleep very quickly, and it was not until they woke up that they introduced themselves across the gap between the beds and exchanged stories. They became great friends following this trip and frequently dined out on the story!

In 2024, Bill again went on the Taxi Charity’s trip to Normandy. Here, his claim to fame was when, following a very good supper, he was seen apparently engaged in milking a plastic cow. As I said at the beginning, he had a great sense of humour and everybody loved him.

The Taxi Charity for Military Veterans was, with its many veterans from WWII, very special to him towards the end of his life, and Bill was in return very dear to us all.

He was not able to come on our most recent trip to the Netherlands for the liberation commemorations, and it was there that I had the very unwelcome and distressing news that Bill had died. The Chairman made a short speech announcing this, and spoke of Bill’s wartime record, and the applause for him following this showed how cabbies and veterans alike, clearly demonstrated their love and respect for him.

Bill Lawson, a man that will be long and well-remembered; and greatly missed by us all.

Bill Lawson (on far right) in Berlin