Laing, John Stewart

Group	DSO	DSO	QSA naming
KSA naming	1914-15 Star naming	BWM naming	VM naming
Shooting Medal	Shooting Medal

LAING, JOHN STEWART, Captain, was born in Portpatrick, Scotland on 29 January 1868.  At fifteen he went to sea for three years as an apprentice sailor; lived for a period in Brazil and Argentina, settling in South Africa in 1889.  He went on active service on 1 October 1899, as a trooper in the Natal Carabineers; served with that regiment for a year and a half, and was then given a troop in the Johannesburg Mounted Rifles.  He was three times mentioned in Despatches for his services in South Africa; received the Queen's Medal with three clasps, and the King's Medal with two clasps, and was created a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order [London Gazette, 31 October 1902]: "John Laing, Captain, Johannesburg Mounted Rifles.  In recognition of services during the operations in South Africa".

He married, in 1901, Agnes Augusta, daughter of William O'Mash, of Oxford.  They had one daughter, Sheila Agnes Laing, born 14 Nov 04.

Post Boer War travel information:

To the ticket issuing clerk, Natal Government Railways, Durban Station.

I hereby certify that the bearer, John Laing, was resident in the Transvaal prior to the commencement of hostilities and left on 16 September 1899 on account of the war and he now wishes to return to his home in Johannesburg. As he is in destitute circumstances, and a discharged volunteer, I recommend that a free ticket be issued to him.
Signed Lieutenant W Brayshaw.

As a discharged irregular of over 12 months service with a good conduct discharge, he is entitled to a free warrant which has not yet come forward from Cape Town.
Signed Lieutenant W Brayshaw.

He was employed in the South African Railways and Harbours as an engineer and served with the Wits Rifles (later the 10th Infantry) between the wars.  During the Great War he served in South West Africa in the SAEC field engineer with the Northern Force (Temp Capt).  He also served in East Africa with an Engineer Detachment. (Temp Capt). Slightly wounded Malangati 24 Jul 16.  He caught malaria in early 1916 and was eventually invalided on 19th June 1917. 

He was admitted to the Mental Hospital at Westkoppies, Pretoria, on 3 April 1917.   On 12 April 1917, the Superintendent granted a “Reception Order” for his detention.  On 25 June 1917 he was declared to be of unsound mind and his wife was given permission to administer his estate and be sole guardian of their daughter.  He died on 2 December 1918.

There were two death notices, one signed by the Physician Superintendent at the hospital where John died and dated 3 December 1918 (the day after his death), and the other signed by John's wife, dated 13 December 1918.  There is a copy of his Will in which he left everything to his wife and on her death, to his daughter. He appointed his wife, Agnes Augusta Laing (born O’Mash) and Reginald Tomlinson of Pietermaritzburg, Natal, to be the executors of his Will.  At the time of his death, his assets included property in Illovo, Johannesburg (£1000), furniture (£196), 1300 shares in Auckland Park Sporting Club (£1,235), 25 shares in the National Bank of SA Ltd (£287), life policy (£500), and Royal Exchange insurance (£535).

In a letter dated 16 June 1919 from James Thompson, Mayor of Johannesburg, 1908-1909, it was stated that:

To whom it may concern.
This is to certify that I knew the late JS Laing for the past 23 years. He was resident in Johannesburg before the Anglo Boer War, joined the Natal Carbineers, and was in the Siege of Ladysmith. After the Siege, he went to Scotland for the purpose of marrying his wife who he had known in Johannesburg. He returned to Johannesburg after his marriage and has been living continuously for the past 18 years in this town.

In a letter dated 7 June 1919 from his wife, she mentions that he had been a resident in South Africa since 1890 and but for two short visits to Scotland, was a resident of South Africa until his death.

A letter from R Tomlinson dated 16 June 1919 is about the funeral expenses which had been high.  When his wife was queried about this, she gave the following statement:

At the time of death of JS Laing the epidemic was at its height in Pretoria and Roger supplied the best coffin he could.  On arrival at Johannesburg, it was decided to remove the body into the best possible coffin.  The body, being the body of a White man, all due respect was given to him.  The funeral was largely attended and required many coaches to accommodate the followers.

His medal entitlement was:

DSO, QSA (3) DofL Trans LN (777 Tpr Natal Carb), KSA (2) (Capt DSO JMR), 1914-15 Star (Capt SAEC), BWM, Victory Medal (Capt).  Spink 1999.

Regimental Rifle Association Shooting Medal, S.A.R.E. (South African Railway Engineers) silver, reverse engraved, "1911-12 G M's SHIELD won by no 5 Coy Capt. J.S. Laing, D.S.O.' (acquired while employed with the South African Railways and Harbours).

There were 4 DSOs to the Johannesburg Mounted Rifles during the Boer War.
 

Letter to his daughter, May 1915

c/o S.A.E. Corps, C Farm, Army Post Office, Cape Town
1 May 1915

My dearest daughter Belle

Thanks for all your letters and the papers and the photos. I like the letter very much indeed and I sit and look at them sometimes until I think to myself well you have look long enough and you cannot see any more, put it away. It will be a happy day when we can look at each other in person. I often think of my Pretoria house and feel sorry I broke it up, it will take a long time to make it up again and the cost will be quite a good figure.

Thanks very much for the papers, it is quite a treat to see something, or rather to hear how things are going on in Europe, we seldom get any news here. I see by the despatch you send me there has been a good battle at Neuve Chapelle, thank goodness our boys came out on top but the loss of life was enormous on both sides. Well we keep doing a little here, we sent a batch of Gs away yesterday and we have bagged another 200 heads today. We keep making progress, we would get on faster but the conditions are against us. We have struggled through 100 miles of desert and constructed a railway as we moved on, being the seven moths getting through the desert every man was only allowed 1¼ gallons per day and covered washing shaving tea and coffee and every drop of that water was condensed sea water which cost the Government an enormous sum for condensers boilers and machinery. I think it worked out about ½ d per gallon. But the whole thing has changed now, we don’t get a drop from the coast. We got to a place where we struck a bit of luck with bore-holes. We managed to tap an inexhaustible supply of pure clean fresh water. You have no idea how this affected our troops. It served to put new life into them besides having plenty to drink they were able to get a bath. The bore-holes existed before we got there but the Germans blew them to pieces dropped all the pumps down the holes and filled them up with debris and iron. Well, as you know Belle, this was just in my line. I got my men on the job and we cleared the first hole our and had water on the surface 24 hours, in five days we had two holes cleared and giving out an abundance of water. Out of each hole we fished out 215 feet of pipes which were smashed by explosions and dropped to the bottom. Within a month I have four holes at work and sunk a new one which turned out to be the best of the lot. For the good work done I received the personal thanks of the General and his Staff. Now I don’t say this with any boast but you know it is very encouraging when one receives thanks from his Boss, but my G- we did work, forty-eight hours on a stretch and living on Bully beef and biscuits. This hard graft kept on for over a month almost night and day. I was neglecting my correspondence and thought of Mother and You but I could not help it. I had a whole Army depending on me at the time. I was torn dirty and tired but kept up well. It was for King and Country and to beat the Germans. Perhaps I should not tell you all this but you know it is natural for one to give vent to his feelings when one knows he has done well, and surely one is allowed to know when he has struck a bit of luck and there is no harm in telling this to one’s own flesh and blood, is there? Now we have left that place (it is still the main watering place) and gone further ahead. We have desert ahead of us still but we have got through the sand, at least the worst of it. The place we are at now has a fairly big station and a great friend of yours has been made Station Master, guess, Mr Pigg, from Uritbank. It is the first time we have met but we are great friends already. Well, the water supply at this place is from bore-holes. The Germans continued the same program here, only a little more serious. Besides blasting the holes with dynamite they poisoned the water. Here we met with success again, cleared the holes of broken pumps, horse shoes, bolts and worst of it all the poison. Now we are drinking clean water. My man just finished a new hole today with a good bit of luck.

No Belle my Dear. I never intended you should live on the sum you are getting and the fact that you are short of cash makes me one of the most miserable men on earth. When I turn in to have a bit of sleep the idea of you being short keeps me awake for hours.

I never thought this war would break out and did not think it would last as long. When you left I was short of money as you remembr. At that time the news was current the Department was closing down and it was right. It was realized skills would be required at the front and that is what saved us.

I have wired Pretoria to increase your remittance and besides that I shall be able to send you an occasional £1 from my military allowance. I understand the military P.O. here is issuing P.O. orders so that I shall take advantage of this. I will send you money in small sums so that if any letters go astray there will be little lost.

Now Belle my dear I will close. Should like to send you a bit more news but you know, will it get through. Now you know the reason I have missed some mails and no doubt will forgive me now that you know the facts. Your Dad has faults but he will never desert you.