Name
Arthur Nicholas Laird
8 September 1897
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
11/12/1916
19
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
34240
Machine Gun Corps (Infantry)
143rd Coy.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
ST. SEVER CEMETERY EXTENSION, ROUEN
O. III. R. 8.
France
Headstone Inscription
RESTING
UK & Other Memorials
Hemel Hempstead Town Memorial
Pre War
Arthur Nicholas Laird was born in Poplar, London on 8 September 1897, one of two sons born to Arthur and Sara Laird. At the time of his birth the family were living at 45 Benledi Street, Poplar, close to East India Docks where his father worked as a Shipping Clerk. Two other children died in infancy.
On the 1911 Census the family had moved to Blair Street and Arthur was then at school, with his brother Edward working as an Assistant in a Fruit Salesroom. His father continued to work as a Shipping Clerk.
When he left school, Arthur followed in the footsteps of his father and worked as a Shipping Clerk.
He was said to be living at 462 Manistry Street, Poplar on enlistment in 1914 and when he re-enlisted with the Machine Gun Corps in 1916 his address was given as 52 Grosvenor Buildings, Robin Hood Lane, Poplar.
Wartime Service
At the outbreak of war Arthur enlisted, on 10 November 1914, in London and joined the 3/14th (Reserve) Battalion, London Regiment (London Scottish). He was only 17 years and 3 months, and supposedly ineligible to join up but was accepted, perhaps because he was of good physical development, with a height of 5ft 7 and a half inches and weighing 9st 5lbs. No one would suspect he was underage.
He served on home defence duties with the London Scottish and was sent to Abbots Langley in Hertfordshire for basic training, later moving to Richmond Park Camp in West London. His record shows he was not the best of soldiers, going absent without leave and failing to comply with an order, receiving punishment for both offences.
In May 1916 he was discharged from London Scottish in order to re-enlist for overseas service, attesting at Westminster to join the Machine Gun Corps, being posted to the 143rd Company under the orders of the 48th (South Midlands) division.
Two months later he went to France, leaving from Folkestone and arriving in Boulogne on 25 July 1916. He joined his Battalion a few days later at Coulonvillers, near Abbeville and was soon in action at the Battle of Pozieres and the Battle of Ancre.
On 24 November 143rd Company was relieving the 1/4th Gloucestershire Regiment in front line trenches when Arthur and two other soldiers received gun shot wounds. Arthur was initially taken to a Casualty Clearing Station and then on to No. 9 General Hospital at Rouen five days later for further treatment. Sadly the treatment was unsuccessful and he died from his wounds on 11 December 1916, aged 19.
He is buried in St Sever Cemetery Extension, Rouen, France. His mother requested an inscription on his headstone which simply says "RESTING".
Additional Information
His mother, Mrs S L Laird, 5 Portree Street, Poplar, London, E14, ordered his headstone inscription: "RESTING". His father received a war gratuity of £9 and pay owing of £4 10s 7d. His brother Edward Charles Laird served with the 23rd Battalion Middlesex Regiment and survived the war. N.B. It is believed that Arthur may never have lived in Hemel Hempstead, but his mother Sarah and brother Edward were living in the town from 1918 and his mother died at 1 Glendale Road in 1951.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Jonty Wild, www.hemelheroes.com.
