TOPIC:

This is the group to Captain Laing:



DSO VR, silver-gilt and enamel, created 31 Oct 02
QSA (3) DoL Tr LN (777 Tpr., Natal Carbnrs.)
KSA (2) (Capt., D.S.O., Joh'burg M.R.)
1914-15 Star (Capt, S.A.E.C.)
British War
Bi-lingual Victory Medals (Capt.)

The group was also accompanied by a 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).

Laing, Captain John, D.S.O. 1902; b. Wigtownshire, 29 Jan. 1868; m. 1901, Agnes Augusta, d. of William O' Marsh of Oxford; one d. At fifteen went to sea for three years as apprentice sailor; lived for a period in Brazil and Argentina; settled in S. Africa, 1889; took the field on 1st Oct. 1899 as trooper in Natal Carabineers; served with that regiment for a year and a half and was then given a troop in J. M. Rifles (despatches three times, Queen's medal three clasps, King's medal two clasps, D.S.O.); Reserve of Officers. Served in German SW Africa as Capt SAEC and wounded Malangati 24/7/1916. Discharged 1917 after repeated attacks of malaria and blackwater fever. He died in Johannesburg in 1918.



While researching Captain Laing, we came across a letter written by his daughter in 1983:

9 Sweet Valley Road
Bergvliet
Cape 7800
27.12.83

Dear Mr Roche

I am afraid I may have addressed my reply to your letter wrongly and I am rather worried in case it has gone astray. I enclosed photos of Willie McCradie and one of myself at the age of 90, and gave you quite a lot of information. I really ought to have registered it.

I understand that Col. Ray Andersen handed Willie McCradie’s letters directly to you so I am taking the liberty of sending you the many photos etc of my Father’s most important work in finding water, so urgently needed for our Army during the war in South West Africa.

I think you can glean a mint of information from what is written on the backs of some of the photos.

My Mother and I were in London for 3 years during the 14-18 War so many of his letters were mislayed or torn up, but most of them just personal. One I am sending, as there is quite a lot that will be of use to you.

I don’t know what Sir George Farrer’s position was, but he appeared to be with my Father through the whole campaign. From things Dad told me Sir George was most impressed with his efforts and what he accomplished. He told him many times that he had nothing more to worry about and that his fortune was made. He certainly had something in mind for him in the future. He told him once that the D.S.O. was of no use to him, what he needed was a “Bloody Halo”. Unfortunately Sir George died before anything could be done.

Dad came out from Scotland and joined the Immigration Department, as an engineer. He was told that it was a temporary department and therefore no pension scheme. War broke out and he was told that they were closing down. However it was realized that the troops had to have water and that saved them. Dad was packed off with men and machines. When he returned to the Civil Service he was told he was too old to be allowed to join the Pension scheme.

He also invented something which saved the Department thousands of pounds a year and because he was a Civil Servant he got no recognition and was not allowed to register it in his name.

I don’t think I have anything more to tell you. Hope the photos will be of used to someone.

Very sincerely, Isabel Swallow

Should you want more information, do let me know. I may be able to supply it.

Please excuse all the mistakes and writing. At the age of 90 things aren’t always as one would like them to be.


And another written by Laing during the Great War:

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 inexhaustable 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.

Laing as a Lieutenant:


The following is a poor picture of the naming of the QSA. The unit has come out very well!

David

A great group of medals and a great story to go with it. As you can probably guess, the Natal Carbineers connection appeals to me.

Regards
Brett

PS Our house in Cape Town in the 1970's and 1980's was a stone's throw from the one where Isobel Swallow lived.

I thought that might appeal to you Brett

Here is another S.A.R.E medal for the same event but to Lt. T.P. Atkens, Capt of Team.





The crowned winged railway wheel was the emblem of the South African Railways and Harbours but this was not formally established until 1916. Previously (1902-1910?) the Central South African Railway Volunteers used the same emblem and before that (minus the crown) a similar emblem was used by the Transvaal Republic Railways.

Who were the South African Railway Engineers? Possibly it was an interim body responsible for creating a unified railway system after 1910. Information would be welcome.

Regards,
Michael

To those interested
Tpr. J.Laing served with the Natal Carbineers as a "Special Service Member". There are quite a few so annotated in the book "Natal Carbineers 1855-1911". Can anyone tell me just what a "Special Service Member" was? Perhaps a late recruit? Any info would go well with his bio and group.
IL.