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World War 1 One ww1 wwII greatwar great 1914 1918 first battalion regiment
Spr. Joseph John Laidler
British Army 344th Road Construction Coy Royal Engineers
from:Shincliffe, Co Durham
(d.27th Oct 1918)
Whilst out taking photographs I stumbled across the grave of Joseph John Laidler in a forgotten corner of the churchyard of St Mary's Church at Shincliffe, Co Durham, the details I have added to this site have been taken from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission web site. I felt that it was the least I could do to make sure that Mr Laidler was not forgotten and that his sacrifice had not been in vain.
Laing
Army 7th Btn. Durham Light Infantry
L/Cpl. Frederick Laing MM & Bar.
British Army 10 Btn. Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment
from:Tunbridge Wells
Frederick Laing was born in 1897 in Tunbridge Wells, Kent. He died on 20 November 1920, Perth, Scotland. He is buried in Arngask New Cemetery, Glenfarg, Perthshire, Scotland, with a grey granite war grave pattern headstone, and I have always been intrigued as to how a man of Kent came to his grave in a small village in Scotland. Although he died after the conflict had ended, it seemed to me that he was as much a casualty of the war as those others who, like him, are buried far from their homes.
His Commonwealth War Graves Commission graves registration documents note that it is a private grave and "Next of kin reside in Tunbridge Wells. The grave was purchased with deceased's own money, and deeds should be with Messrs Macgregor Mitchell & Co, solicitors Perth. Plan at the Inspector of Poor's office, Milnathort, Perthshire. (Sgd) H.G. McCoy Area Inspector Edinburgh Area".
Frederick Laing was born in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, the son of Fanny Saunders Laing who was the daughter of John and Ellen (nรฦรยฉe Hill) Laing, and who, herself, was born 26 October 1869 in Tunbridge Wells, Kent. Her son Fred Laing's birth was registered between July and September 1897.
The 31st March 1901 census shows him living, aged 3, with his maternal grandparents John (aged 73, a retired gardener) and Ellen (aged 66, a launderer/washerwoman) Laing and with his mother, Fanny S. Laing (aged 31, also a launderer) at 9 Rochdale Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent.
The next census, 2 April 1911, shows him, now aged 13, in the household of George Hillman (aged 49, a builder's labourer), whom Fanny Laing married in 1902. Fanny Hillman (aged 42) now has two other children, May and Dorothy Hillman aged 6 and 1 respectively, but Frederick is listed as Frederick Laing, not Hillman. Also living in the household is John Edward Laing (aged 34, town postman) described as 'brother': presumably Fanny's brother. They are living at 9 Rochdale Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent: the same address as his grandparents' in 1901.
No enlistment records survive for Fred Laing, but at the outbreak of WW1 he would have been 17, possibly just 18, and therefore eligible to enlist. The 10th (Service) Battalion (Kent County) Royal West Kent Regiment to which Frederick belonged, was formed in Maidstone on 3 May 1915 by Lord Harris, Vice Lieutenant of Kent, at the request of the Army Council. It consisted of men primarily from the south of England.
Firstly, in July 1915, attached to 118th Brigade in the 39th Division, it was transferred in October to 123rd Brigade in the 41st Division and moved to Aldershot in January 1916. The units of the Division moved to France between 1 and 6 May 1916 and by 8 May they were concentrated between Hazebrouck and Bailleul. It remained on the Western Front until, in November 1917, it moved to Italy and took over a sector of the front line behind the River Piave, north west of Treviso between 30 November and 2 December 1917.
In March 1918 Frederick Laing's Division was back in France and on 23 March 1918 at Vaulx Vraucourt, near Bapaume (the battles of St Quentin, Bapaume and Arras รยขรขโยฌรขโฌล the first phases of the battles of the Somme 1918) during heavy fighting to hold back a German attack (the 'Spring Offensive'), L/Cpl Laing won his (first) MM.
His medal record card "Awarding The Military Medal", shows that he was awarded a bar to that on 13th of November 1918. When the Armistice brought fighting to an end, Frederick Laing's division was selected to join the army of occupation and on 15th March 1919 was retitled the London Division. These units were gradually dissolved leaving, by February 1920, only regular army units in place.
It seems that, on demobilisation, Frederick Laing went to Glenfarg, Perthshire, at the invitation of a Captain James Aubrey Lilburne Hopkinson to work for him as a groom at Duncrievie House, Duncrievie, Glenfarg. Capt. Hopkinson had himself served in WW1 with the Queen's (Royal West Surrey) Regiment and it is possible that the two men came across each other whilst on active service รยขรขโยฌรขโฌล both their regiments served as front line troops in the 123rd Brigade 41st Division.
Whilst Capt. Hopkinson had been born in Kensington, London (Feb/March 1895), both his grandmother and mother (Charlotte and Mary Lilburne respectively) were born at Pittenweem in Fife and lived at Duncrievie House, Duncrievie, Glenfarg. In 1893 his mother married Samuel Day Hopkinson and he and his sister (Marian Charlotte Lilburne Hopkinson b. 3 May 1896) lived with their parents at 41 Campden Hill Road, Kensington, London W8. His father died in 1903 aged 44, and the 1911 census shows his mother and grandmother (both widows) at that address, but there is no sign of James. The London Gazette of 7 August 1914 notes the confirmaton of James A. L. Hopkinson's rank to Second Lieutenant, 3rd Battalion The Queen's (Royal West Surrey) Regiment. Capt. Hopkinson's medal index card shows that he entered the theatre of war in France in May 1915 and in 1921 it records that he had changed address from 78a Lexham Gardens, London W8 to Duncrievie House, Glenfarg, and requesting that his medals be sent there.
By that time however, Frederick Laing was dead. He died on 20th November 1920 in Perth Royal Infirmary of 'Sub-acute Nephritis and Uraemia'. His occupation was described as 'Barman' and his usual residence as The Glenfarg Hotel, Glenfarg.
From the Perthshire Advertiser 1 December 1920, page 3:
Military Funeral
The remains of ex-Lance Corporal Fred Laing, West Kents, were laid to rest with military honours in Arngask Cemetery. Deceased, who was only 24 years of age, died in the Perth Royal Infirmary, after an illness of five weeks' duration. He was a native of Tunbridge Wells, England, and on being demobilized came to this district as a groom to Captain Hopkinson, Duncrevie [sic], and was latterly employed as a barman at Arngask Hotel. Corporal Laing was of a quiet and unassuming nature, and was much repected by all who knew him. The coffin was conveyed from Arngask Hotel to the Cemetery by a military escort, and after being lowered the piper played the lament, and the Last Post was sounded.
Gnr. George Laing
British Army 91st Siege Battery Royal Garrison Artillery
from:Weyss
George Laing was my grandmother's brother. He survived the whole war. He married at the end of the war and emigrated to America in 1926. My grandmother's brother was killed in action in April 1918. My grandmother's husband, John Hutton, was in the First Life Guards and Machine Gun Regiment and also survived the war.
Fireman John Laing
Merchant Marine SS Cabotia
from:North Belfast
(d.20th Oct 1916)
On 9th of Oct. 1916 when the SS Cabotia left Montreal bound for Manchester, she was loaded with 5,000 tons of cargo and 300 horses. Shortly after leaving Canada the ship sailed into a south-west gale, which lasted the whole voyage. The ship plodded along in the heavy seas day after day, the sea was rough, waves breaking over the decks, the ship constantly rolling, just a terrible voyage for man and beast.
John Mitchell, the master, kept the ship on a zig-zag course and at noon on October 20, 1916 they were about 150 miles from Ireland. At 12:20 p.m. in the tremendous seas the silhouette of a submarine was sighted three miles off the starboard bow, the lookouts had done their job. Mitchell ordered all hands on deck and began to take evasive action. He turned his ship away from the enemy putting the submarine at his stern, trying to make a run for it and giving the smallest target to the German.
The submarine, SMS U-69, fired several shells from her deck gun, but the U-boat's commander, Kapitรยคnleutnant Ernst Wilhelms, had no intention of allowing his prey to escape from him. Shells from the U-boat began to fall, but only every few minuets, this was apparently the best the gun crew could do as the seas were running so high that one of the survivors from the Cabotia said the gunner was awash up to his neck when the waves washed over the boat. Cabotia could not outrun U-69 which could make almost 17 knots while the Cabotia's top speed was 12 knots, neither was running at top speed on this day, but the men deep in the Cabotia remained in the engine room giving Mitchell all the steam he could use.
For over an hour and a half the Cabotia tried to escape and U-69 continued to close the distance, the gunner, despite the sea, scored a hit on the Cabotia and Mitchell realized that his ship could not escape, and now that the German had the range and landed several more hits, Mitchell decided that he would abandon his ship. He had the boats swung out, but this was a difficult decision, the gale was still blowing and the chance of survival in small boats in such conditions was slim, but this was the only chance they had. Distress signals that had been continuously been sent since the attack began received no answer until 2 p.m., which must have given Mitchell some small comfort.
Soon after this U-69 was very close and a shot was fired through the funnel, after which Mitchell shut down the engines and signaled to the submarine that he was abandoning the ship, he also tossed his papers over the side, four boats got away with no casualties, which in itself is amazing. The heavy sea made staying together impossible and the boats were scattered almost immediately, one of them was approached by the submarine and there was some kind of conversation between the lifeboat and the Germans, what was said is unknown. After they parted Wilhelms put 12 shells into the Cabotia and half an hour later she went under.
All seventy-four survivors must have seen the steamer that came into the area and they must have been relieved to think that they would soon be picked up and saved from almost certain death, but this was not to be. The unidentified ship which was flying neutral colors, stopped and U-69 came alongside. At least two of the lifeboats were within a couple hundred yards and were signaling with everything they had, but nobody on the ship noticed them or they just ignored them. The reason the ship failed to respond to the distress signals is unknown, it is speculated that Wilhelms told her master that if he picked up the survivors that his ship would be sunk, it is also possible that the ship was actually a German ship disguised as a neutral ship, the truth is not known, but the ship did salute the U-boat with a blow from her whistle before she left.
Four hours after Cabotia was sunk the situation with the weather got worse, not only heavy winds and seas, but now the rain came. The survivors in the four scattered boats fought to stay alive and at 9 a.m. the next morning a patrol boat was sighted and the survivors from one of the boats were rescued. Being told of what had happened a search was begun and shortly thereafter a second boat was found. Hours went by and the search continued, but the two remaining boats and the thirty-two men in them were never found.
The identity of the mystery ship which did not respond to the distress signals of the survivors, to the best of my knowledge was never learned, neither was the content of the conversation between the ship and the U-boat, Wilhelms made no statements after the war because he and U-69 went missing in July of 1917. He had sent over 100,000 tons of shipping to the bottom, and somewhere, perhaps in the Irish Sea, Wilhelms and U-69 have joined them. รยฉ 2010 Michael W. Pocock MaritimeQuest.com
Roll of Honour: In memory of those who lost their lives in SS Cabotia "As long as we embrace them in our memory, their spirit will always be with us"
- Name
- Rate
- Bassoli, Carlo - Able Seaman
- Caswell, W. F. - Horseman
- Copp, Arthur - Able Seaman and Lamps
- Danielsen, Elinar - Seaman
- Fraser, John W. - Horseman
- Garrity, Joseph - Horseman
- Hart, Henry W. - Horseman
- Henry, John - Wireless Operator
- Hilditch, Christopher J. - Ordinary Seaman
- Hubbard, J. C. - Assistant Foreman
- Isaac, Manuel - Fireman & Trimmer
- James, William - Horseman
- Johnston, Edward A. - 3rd Mate
- Kohlmann, Carl - Carpenter
- Lang, John - Fireman & Trimmer
- Lewis, C. - Horseman
- Lyon, Robert F. - Seaman
- Maynard, John - Assistant Foreman
- McArthur, James - Fireman & Trimmer
- Mitchell, John - Master
- Muckle, Hugh - Horseman
- Nichol, R. - Horseman
- Nilsen, Einar - Fireman & Trimmer
- Pacheco, Arthur - Seaman
- Roberts, Charles L. - 2nd Steward
- Robertson, James K. - Horseman
- Roy, H. - Horseman
- Scott, David - Horseman
- Whitton, D. - Horseman
- Wise, F. - Horseman
- Wright, Tom - Assistant Cook
Pte. Robert Laing
British Army 7th Btn. Seaforth Highlanders
from:Coaltown of Wemyss
(d.11th Apr 1918)
Officers Diary notes for 11th April 1918, the day my Great Uncle Robert Laing died - Missing killed in action. He served with the 7th Battalion, Seaforth Highlanders.
Trenches Hollebeke in Camp Vierstraat, April 10th. The Battalion, on completion of relief, was entrained in trucks on the light railway at Spoil Bank and proceeded to Seddon Camp, Vierstraat, the last people in to camp arriving about 2:30am. Up to this date no convincing evidence had been secured to indicate the coming of the enemy offensive on this front and the general appreciation of the situation ran to this. That the enemy was too much engrossed in his enterprise on the Somme to be capable of launching an attack in this sector; that the nature of the country in the Ypres Salient was too difficult to encourage offensive ideas; and that, in any case, the enemy had neither the troops nor the guns to supply an attack. That view, moreover, corresponded with what the Army Commander had said on the occasion of the Divisional inspection on 3rd last.
With this comforting assurance, the Battalion was warned to be ready to return to the line this night (10th November) and relieve units of the 19th Division on the right of the Hollebeke sub sector. This left the prospect of at least one restful day a prospect, however, that was not fulfilled. The news came that Bosche had attacked and made progress South of, and in the neighbourhood of, Wytschate and the old danger of a swinging flank looked like being realised again
Damstrasse: Orders and counter-orders followed in rapid succession. First to reconnoitre an old line of trenches running parallel to Vierstraat by Parrot Farm road from Square N11 into Square N16. The Commanding Officer and others had just allotted the first platoon area on this line when a mounted orderly arrived steaming, with a led horse for the C.O. to ride hot foot to Brigade for fresh orders. These (second) orders cancelled the defensive line mentioned and substituted the orders to get ready to take up a line across the South East aspect of the Wytschaete presumably to fill a gap left by somebody or other!
Touch was established with the Royal Scots at The Stable. The 11th Btn. of that regiment still held Oak Support as a front line but its outposts had been forced I, and the 12th Btn. had been dispersed in support and on its flank. Our line was extended along the far side of the Damm Strasse and numerous strong patrols pushed up the rising ground in front into Ravine Wood, through Pheasant Wood and into Denys Wood. A weak company of 9th Welsh Regiment was found in position at the Southern end of the Damm Strasse with some collected oddments of Wilts, with two companies of 8th Black Watch, labouring under misapprehended directions, were busy digging in the wrong place. Not without difficulty these people were sorted out and by midnight or thereabouts we had secured the line form the right of the Royal Scots along the length of the Damm Strasse and 300 yards S.E across the St Eloi - Ostaverne Road, with posts and patrols pushed well forward. 11th April: About 1am a company of the 9th Royal Welch Fusiliers turned up out of the blue. All day on the 10th they had remained unmolested in their original position in Denys Wood while the troops on their right and left were on the move before the advancing enemy. They were still in communication with their Btn H.Q. in Onraet Wood until evening and their last message was an order to withdraw. They waited some time, still seeing no sign of enemy and then evacuated the wood, fell back through our advanced posts and were absorbed into our line on the Damm Strasse.
In view of the obscure situation and complete absence of troops to our right (although two coys. Of 8th B.W. were understood to be in line near Wytschete and trying to connect with their other two coys. on our right) Col. Bruce decided to maintain the Damm Strasse line as our line of resistance, drawback the elements of the 19th Div. these into support positions near Ruined Farm and The Mound and so release our รยกรยงDรยกรยจ Coy to proceed South west towards Onraet Wood and extend our line. Three coys. of the 9th Seasforths (Pioneers) were also at the disposal of Col. Bruce. Up till now they had formed a reserve line E. of St Eloi, but under Col Bruce's orders they also were put on the move towards Wytshaete to help our รยกรยงDรยกรยจ Coy to fill the undoubted gap that existed on the line allotted to the 8th Black Watch. Neither the extent nor the exact location of that gap could be ascertained.
With all the disadvantages of a dark night, unknown country and strange dispositions to contend with this movement was not completed by daybreak. It was practically broad daylight before the 19th Div. troops were relieved from their posts on the Damm Strasse and moved back to support positions. The O.C. รยกรยงDรยกรยจ Coy. (Lt. Cotching ) was only able to collect one of his platoons before daylight and with that platoon and his company H.Q. he proceeded to look for his new position.
The other two platoons of รยกรยงDรยกรยจ were held in reserve near Ruined Farm until the situation cleared and eventually NO 14 Platoon was sent to join Lt. Cotching. Two Coys. of the 9th Seaforths advanced through Onraet Wood, pushing the enemy before them, and took post on the right of our รยกรยงDรยกรยจ Coy. By 9 am the dispositions ran approximately as follows :- From the Canal on the left, to the right: 11th Royal Scots, with 12th in support & reserve, A Coy. 7th Seaforths B Coy covering practically the whole length of the Damm Strasse, C Coy 8th B.W B Coy C Coy to a point about 200-300 ? S.W of the lower end of the Damm Strasse but losing frontage because one company was rather ??? inwards behind the other! 7th Seaforths รยงDรยกรยจ Coy two platoons facing almost E, in front of Martens Farm. 9th Seaforths Two coys extended from that point as far as Evams Farm southwards. Beyond that there still existed a gap which was eventually filled by รยกรยงAรยกรยจ and รยกรยงDรยกรยจ Coys of the 8th B.W. extending from the South. In support: About 200 officers and men of the Welsh Regiment and RWF at Ruined Farm and the Mound; one Coy of 9th Seaforths at Picadilly Farm. The area and garrison described (excepting Royal Scots) was under the command of LT.Col Bruce who had his H.Q. at Shelley Farm and who was under the orders of the 27th Brigade for the time being.
As stated, that was the order of battle into which the troops had been shaken out by 9 am. but while things were still in a state of flux the enemy attacked. This was about 8am. The Huns came over the ridge by Ravine Wood in fairly strong numbers on the position of front held by รยกรยงAรยกรยจ and รยกรยงBรยกรยจ Coys. Both the weather and the situation were a bit hazy. For all our companies knew the dim figures emerging from Ravine Wood in the morning mist and advancing with shouts down the decline towards the Damm Strasse might have been lost elements of the British Army falling back. The doubt was in some measure a good thing to entertain. The effect of it was to with hold the men's fire till the enemy were less than 150 yards from our line. Then รยกรยงAรยกรยจ and รยกรยงBรยกรยจ loosed off with rifles and lewis guns and took great toll. The remainder of the Bosche lay down under cover of a patch of wood to reconsider the matter. As the attack seemed to be definitely beaten รยกรยงAรยกรยจ and รยกรยงBรยกรยจ Coys advanced a counter-blow.
Sergt. Jeffries and a small patrol of four men from รยกรยงBรยกรยจ Coy went round the right of the patch of wood while Corporal Mackay รยกรยงAรยกรยจ Coy took a strong patrol round the left to drive the Bosche into Sgt Jeffries hands. The Bosche saw the danger and started to run back. Those who got up to run were mostly mowed down by fire from our lines - the youngsters of the draft remembering all they ever knew about rapid fire! The situation however, was one to be greatly improved by rapid handling and Sgt Tait (รยกรยงAรยกรยจ Coy) saw to that. He hopped over the bank of the Damme Strasse and ran forward towards the Bosche shouting directions to the รยกรยงAรยกรยจ Coy patrol รยกV รยกรยง Get round the b_______sรยกรยจ was the order.
Probably the instructions of Sgt Tait completed the Huns terror! Corporal Mackay doubled round the back of Bosche 50 yards ahead of his patrol. Those of the enemy who tried to run away were shot down; others were further deterred by the actions of Sgt. Jeffreis who cam up rapidly on the right and brained one Bosche with the butt of his rifle for the moral effect of it and those of the enemy surviving put up a white flag and sank on their knees in supplication. Another feature of this successful little enterprise was the eagerness of our men to get out at the enemy. When Sgt Tait went forward to issue his decisive directions รยกรยงAรยกรยจ Coy got up out of their shell-holes and rushed forward to take part. The result, over and above the heavy casualties inflicted on the enemy, was a bag of 17 prisoners and two machine guns. A third machine gun was found under a heap of Bosche dead and brought in by night patrol later.
The prisoners were evacuated by an exposed plank road to Batt. H.Q. and in their ???? were machine gunned by their comrades on the high ground above Ravine Wood and seven were wounded. One jumped into a deep shell hole and was drowned and two had to be left by the roadside till it was dark enough to recover them without danger to the stretcher bearers. Incidentally numerous casualties to the stretcher-bearers and others were caused on the same road in the course of the day. It was the main channel of communications with the front line and was swept by enemy fire. To continue the narrative of รยกรยงAรยกรยจ Coys day when the episode described above was completed a line of posts was established under LT J.G. Douglas on the ground just taken from the enemy. By this time, however, the enemy had made his line along the crest in Ravine Wood where he had the advantage of elevation and cover of the wood and several strong pill boxes. On this line he maintained an attitude of great alertness and fired at all movement, while enemy posts on the right flank of รยกรยงAรยกรยจ Coy's new formations were able to enfilade the line; and eventually it was decided to withdraw the posts not, however before some resistance had been offered. The company's position there fore reverted to more or less what is was when the day began.
Orders were received to cooperate with a company of 12th Royal Scots on Hun's commanding pillboxes in Ravine Wood. One platoon of รยกรยงDรยกรยจcompany under 2/LT Gifillan was placed at the disposal of O.C. รยกรยงAรยกรยจ Company for the operation and plans were made in conference with officers of the 12th R.S. It was planned that the attack should take place at 3.30 pm the R.S. to take the position in the flank from the White Chateau while one platoon of รยกรยงAรยกรยจ (2/LT Mclennan) and the รยกรยงDรยกรยจ Platoon should make a holding attack from the Damme Strasse under covering fire from รยกรยงBรยกรยจ Company on the right and the remainder of รยกรยงAรยกรยจ Coy.
The position to be attacked was kept under intermittent artillery fire from 1 to 3 pm. at 3.30pm the attack began. Our two platoons moved forward by section pushes, under pretty heavy rifle & m.g fire until a position in dead ground about a hundred yards short of the pill boxes. Some casualties were suffered on the way. A halt was made to await a signal from the R.S. showing their position. As no signal (a verry light was expected)was put up a reconnaissance patrol moved left to get information of Hun & saw them in shellholes about 50 yards off the flank of the position. It was impractical for our platoons to come carry the attack further without action from the R.S. The force was already seriously weakened by casualties and any movement drew heavy fire from the front and from Pheasant Wood on the right. An attempt was made to clear up one annoying strong point in Pheasant Wood but the party did not reach its objective. The operation remained at a standstill til dusk, no action or information having come form the R.S the remainder of our two platoons were drawn back to the Damme Strasse, leaving out one strong post to hold the enemy to the line of the wood. That post remained out all night. Both officers who took part in the operation were wounded. The first dispositions of รยกรยงBรยกรยจ coy were: Two platoons and coy H.Q. on the centre section of the Damme Strasse with posts on the edge of Pheasant Wood; 2/LT Flemming with one platoon pushed forward through the wood and formed a line in close proximity to the enemy on the far side of the wood. Flemming's platoon evidently made an attempt to force the enemy out of some of his positions but it was too far out to be efficiently supported in this. The enemy got round its flanks and brought heavy fire to bear on the platoon.
Flemming was badly shot through the body and ordered his men to extricate themselves as they could, refusing to allow stretcher bearers to take the risk of carrying him in. The survivors therefore made their way back to the line on the Damme Strasse. Strong patrols then went out to recover the wounded officer, by were unable to penetrate to the place where (he) was left. The enemy then endeavoured to advance his line through Pheasant Wood it was completely repelled and patrols scoured the wood till no Bosche was left in it. The enemy, however, did maintain one strong point on the NE of the wood from which he was able to command the front of รยกรยงAรยกรยจ Coy. and, as already mentioned, interfere with the afternoon attack. Vigorous patrol action was maintained throughout the day and Pheasant Wood kept clear of enemy. There was a good deal of shooting to be had and casualties were inflicted on the enemy. The Company, on the other hand, suffered some losses through shell fire on the Damme Strasse from centre to right was occasionally heavily bombarded. By nightfall the company had maintained its position on the Damme Strasse and had established an ascendency on the ground in front of it and was in good spirit as the result of a good dayรยกรยฆs work. When the various elements of the 19th Div. where withdrawn from the front line and into support at Ruined Farm and The Mound รยกรยงCรยกรยจ Coy extended its front line to the right and connected with 8th B.W. They also took over and manned some posts of the Welsh Regiment in and beyond Damm Wood. The enemy's morning attack did not develop in any great strength n รยกรยงCรยกรยจ Coy's front. The first signs of it were met by heavy fire from รยกรยงCรยกรยจ Coy and the promise of a stout resistance probably deterred the enemy from carrying on with his intentions.
It was daylight before Lt. Cotching and the nucleus of รยกรยงDรยกรยจ Coy arrived on the line they held throughout the day in front of Marten's Farm and they got there with no time to spare. The enemy advance was already in progress on that position of the front and รยกรยงDรยกรยจ Coy repelled(?)the enemy with considerable losses. 2/LT Davies was then only backing No. 16 platoon (2/LT Gilfillan) which was held back in position at Ruined Farm and was used in the afternoon in the attack on Ravine Wood.
In the course of the morning the company was bombarded fairly heavily but met the situation very astutely by moving the line forward out of the bombarded zone. The enemy was very restless all day on the front and gave รยกรยงDรยกรยจ Coy frequent targets. Lt. Cotching claimed they caused the enemy about 200 casualties between dawn and dusk, The line, a series of rifle pits and small cuttings in the embankment of a light railway was made continuous during the day by the initiative of the 9th Seaforths who took every opportunity of improving their position on รยกรยงDรยกรยจ Coys's right.
Casualties: It was difficult to reckon accurately the number of casualties suffered by the battalion this day (11th April) but probably 130 other ranks were killed, wounded and missing. (the missing were some of LT Fleming's platoon in forward positions.) Officer casualties: Wounded and missing: 2/LT Fleming, Wounded: 2/LTS E. G Sugden, J. Lyon, Maclennan and Gilfillan.
Quite a busy day - Got one paragraph in the official war diary
Pte. Thomas Laws Laing
British Army 14th Battalion Durham Light Infantry
from:Sunderland
(d.4th Mar 1917)
L/Cpl. Thomas Laing
British Army 15th Btn. Durham Light Infantry
from:Pelaw
(d.1st July 1916)
Tom Laing was my Great Grandfather.
Able Sea. A. C. Laird
Royal Navy Hawke Btn. Royal Naval Div.
(d.9th October 1918)
Able Seaman Laird died at 29 Casualty Clearing Station, Delsaux on 9th October 1918. He is buried in Delsaux Farm Cemetery, Beugny, Grave I.B.28.
2nd Lt. Homer Warring Laird
Royal Flying Corps.
(d.8th Oct 1917)
Homer Laird died on the 8th of October 1917 and is buried in the Bailleul Communal Cemetery Extension. His father Henry Willoughby Laird, was a lieutenant colonel with the CEF, and at the start of the war was a Major in the Army Service Corps and brother Lieutenant William Clarence Laird, CEF, both survived the war. They will always be remembered and in our family's thoughts and prayers.
Pte. W. A. Laird
Canadian Expeditionary Forces 14th Battalion
(d.18th April 1917)
Private Laird was 35 when he died and is buried near the entrance gate in the Carrick-on-Shannon (St. George) Church of Ireland Churchyard in Co. Leitrim, Ireland. His brother lived in Carrick-on-Shannon.
Pte. Arthur Lake
British Army 2nd Btn. Northumberland Fusiliers
(d.12th Mar 1915)
Pte. Arthur James Lake
British Army Royal Engineers
Arthur Lake served with the Army Cyclist Corps, Kings own Scottish Borderers and the Royal Engineers.
Cpl. Arthur William Lake
British Army 17th Btn. King's Royal Rifle Corps
from:Sidmouth
(d.25th December 1916)
P/O. Charles Lake
Royal Navy HMS Submarine E16
from:Dawlish
(d.22nd Aug 1916)
Charles Lake died aged 32. All 31 men onboard the E16 Submarine were lost. Son of James and Ann Lake of Crediton, husband of Mary Ann (nee Cundy). Father of two children, one boy one girl. Another son had died before his first birthday.
Pte. Ernest Henry Lake
British Army 8th Btn Somerset Light Infantry
from:Tawstock, Devon
(d.4th Oct 1917)
Private 33167, Ernest Henry Lake, (formerly 44452 of the Devonshire Regiment) was killed in action on the 4th October 1917 at the Third Battle of Ypres. According to the war diaries of the 8th Battalion of the Somersets, on that day, the Battalion lost 3 officers and 27 other ranks.
He is remembered on the Tyne Cot memorial and was survived by his wife, Emily.
Col.Sgt. Frederick Charles Lake
British Army 1st Btn., Attchd. Gold Coast Regiment, WAFF Norfolk Regiment
from:Watton, Norfolk
(d.1st April 1915)
Colour Serjeant Lake was the husband of Mabel May Lake of Soham Cottage, College Rd, Watton, Norfolk.
He was buried in the Douala Cemetery, Cameroon, Grave 4.
Rfmn. Isaac Lake
British Army 1st Btn. Monmouthshire Regiment
from:Denbigh
(d.12th Sep 1918)
Isaac Lake was the son of Horatio Nelson Lake and Margaret Catherine Lake of Wesley Place, Denbigh.
Pte. John Charles Lake
British Army 1st Bn. Border Regiment
(d.20th March 1917)
L/Cpl. Thomas Lake
British Army 2nd Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry
from:Tantobie Co Durham
(d.2 December 1917)
I knew very little about my Grandfather Thomas.
One day when I was about 14 years old I came across a plaque, a picture & 2 medals. I asked my father who was the man in the picture? He told me it was his father and then went on to tell me of how he died in the First World War. He became rather angry at the fact that he lost his own father so close to the end of WW1.
All this took place many years ago, in fact it must of been around 1970. A few years ago I started researching records on the Ancestry website and quickly became frustrated when I could not find many records of Thomas`s ancestors. All I discovered was his regiment, Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry 2nd Btn & that he died 02/12/1917. He is classed as "Commonwealth War Dead" and is buried in "Tyne Cot Memorial" panel 108 - 111.
He was 32 when he died,so at the outbreak of WW1 he would have been about 29. He must have served with the KOYLI before the start of the war as I can't see him being made a L/Corporal straight after signing up! God rest his soul, and all the fallen men and women who sacrificed all for King & Country.
CQMS. William John Lake
British Army 11th Btn. A Coy. Hampshire Regiment
from:13 Milton Road, Fitzhugh, Southampton
(d.9th Sept 1916)
John Lake was killed in action, aged 29. He is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial.
Pte Charles Laken
British Army 19th Btn Northumberland Fusiliers
(d.28th March 1918)
Laken, Charles, Private 55848, Killed on 28th March 1918,
Remembered on the Pozieres Memorial panel 16 to 18.
From the Northumberland Fusiliers Roll of Honour
Pte. Reginald Percy Laker
British Army 10th Battalion East Kent Regiment
from:Ashford, Kent
(d.14th Oct 1918)
Sto. 1st class Sydney Lakey
Royal Navy H.M.S. Defence
from:Plymouth
(d.31 May 1916)
Cpl. William John Lakey
British army 1st Btn. Royal Welch Fusiliers
from:Plaistow, London
(d.3rd Sept 1916)
William John Lakey, 1st Battn Royal Welch Fusiliers, was the brother of my paternal grandmother. He was killed on the 3rd Sept 1916, the first day of the battle of the Somme at Delville wood. He was a Corporal, acting Sergeant and just six days short of celebrating his 21st birthday. His body was never found and his name is on the Thiepval Memorial.
Gnr. Ram Lal
British Indian Army 1st Div. Ammunition Col. Royal Artillery
(d.18th Jan 1918)
Gunner Ram Lal is Buried in the Euskirchen New Town Cemetery in Germany.
Jdr. Lala VC.
British Indian Army 41st Dogras
from:India
Pte. A. Lally
British Army 24th (Tyneside Irish) Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers
A Lally was wounded in 1916
Gnr. Edward Lally
British Army 257th Seige Bty. Royal Garrison Artillery
from:Widnes
(d.29th November 1918)
Gunner Lally was my mother's uncle. He died in the UK at Eccelston Hall Sanitorium of an unknown cause.
Gnr. F. Lally
British Army 173rd Brigade, D Bty Royal Field Artillery
(d.27th April 1918)
Gunner Lally is buried in Canada Farm Cemetery, Belgium, Grave IV.A.28.
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