War interrupted Bernard Lawson’s promising career as a young businessman. His brothers joined the navy and army but, supported by his minister at Palmers Green Congregational church, Bernard took his stand as a Christian pacifist. He was granted exemption as long as he joined Friends Ambulance Unit.  In July 1916 he began work in France on Ambulance Train 11 which carried up to 500 injured soldiers per journey from casualty stations near the Front to the coast.  Discharged in 1919, he did post-war relief work in Austria and then worked for 37 years in the British Quaker international service organisations.