TOPIC:

Two brothers in the same battalion and on the same battlefield in South Africa with one wounded whilst the third was serving in India.

Corporal Robert Laing, 3385, and Lance Corporal Charles William Laing, 5706, sons of Sergeant David Laing the DCM award winner for gallantry during the “Thin Red Line” in the Crimean War, were both present at the Battles of Paardenburg and Drienfontein whilst serving with the 2nd Battalion East Kent Regiment (The Buffs).

It was during the Battle of Driefontein on the 10th March 1900 that Lance Corporal Charles Laing was severely wounded whilst fighting alongside his elder brother.

During this battle Captain A.R. Eustace and 20 other ranks were killed with Charles amongst the 79 other ranks who were wounded.

Amongst the 3 officers wounded that day was Lieutenant James McBain Ronald who would be later killed in action the day before Charles during The Great War.

At the time of the Second Boer War the middle brother, Alexander Laing, was serving with the 1st Battalion East Kent Regiment in India following the Chitral Relief Force of 1895 and Indian North West Frontier of 1897/98.

Robert Laing
Robert enlisted on the 26th January 1891 (18y9m) with the East Kent Regiment; he was born about 1873 at Canterbury Kent to David and Susan Laing.

Both brothers sailed with the 2nd Battalion on the Gaika on the 22nd December 1899 and arrived at the Cape on 13th January 1900; following action at Paardenburg and Drienfontein Robert was invalid home on the 6th July 1900.

Robert married Alice Ellen Heizman in April 1905 and left for South Africa in June that year returning home in July the following year; these tours to South Africa were his only overseas assignments during his career.

Robert was discharged on the 23rd January 1912 with the rank of Sergeant and passed away on the 14th November 1918 1914.

Picture courtesy of Noonans

Alexander Laing (Brother)
Alexander was the middle of the Laing brothers who was serving at the end of the 19th Century.
Alexander was born in February 1874 also in Canterbury Kent; he enlisted in the 1st Battalion East Kent Regiment on the 27th February 1892 at the age of 18; regimental number 3752.

Alexander served in India, Chitral, North West Frontier and Burma; he was awarded the following campaign medals:
• India Medal 1895 with clasp for ‘Chitral 1895’
• Clasp inscribed ‘Punjab Frontier 1897-1898’

Charles William Laing (Younger Brother)
Charles, youngest brother, was born about July 1879.

Along with Robert he served with the Second Battalion East Kent Regiment in South Africa and was wounded whilst fighting alongside him at the Battle of Driefontein on the 10th March 1900.

Charles was promoted to 2nd Lieutenant just before his death during the Second Battle of Ypes on the 24th April 1915 where the first ‘official’ use of poison gas was used.

David (Jnr) & James Laing
There were also two elder Laing brothers; namely David (Jnr) and James Laing. Both were born in Sealkote, Bengal, India whist their father was serving with the 93rd highlanders

David was born on the 27th April 1864 and passed away in July 1936 in Kent, England.

James was born on the 29th April 1866 and rose to the rank of Sergeant and passed away on the 18th February 1950 in Kent, England.

David Laing (Father)

Courtesy of Noonans:
Provenance: Buckland Dix & Wood, October 1995.
D.C.M. recommendation dated 8 January 1855.
David Laing was born in St. Andrews, Fife, and attested for the 93rd Highlanders at Montrose, in February 1846. He advanced to Corporal in November 1853, and to Sergeant in February 1855.

He served with the Regiment in the Crimea, and was present at Balaklava on 25 October 1854, when the 93rd routed the Russian cavalry and won themselves the title of “The Thin Red Line”.

Laing was promoted Colour Sergeant in March 1857, and served with the Regiment during the Indian Mutiny. He was reduced to the rank of Sergeant in 1863, and was discharged 27 August 1867, having served 21 years and 122 days with the Colours. He was recorded as still being alive in 1907, but the date of his death is unknown.

I think Robert Laing died 14th November 1918 and this is his probate, note given names of his widow:



He also appears to be listed on the CWGC website as a casualty of WW1. From the below it appears he served in a home battalion. He is buried in Canterbury Cemetery which ties up with his birthplace.

Charles Laing was married when he was killed in action in WWI as shown by the attachment. In 1913 he had married Emily Jane Fox and when he died she was with child - she named her son after his father and he lived to be 100 passing away in 2016. Emily lived to be 87 and here she is:



The relative (David Fox) who owns the photo has dated it 1895 when she would have been 16, she was twice that age by the time she married Charles.

Thanks Smethwick for the information; much appreciated!