On the Thiepval Memorial, Somme France is the name of 23/609 Private Anthony Laws serving with the 23rd (Tyneside Scottish) Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers who died 01/07/1916.

Derek Johnstone has provided the following:

Anthony Laws was born at Choppington, Northumberland in 1872 to parents George Laws from Earsdon and Mary Laws (nee Redhead) who was born at Gosforth. In 1881 the Laws family lived at Augusta Colliery, Dinnington, Northumberland when he was age 9. His father was a coal miner and siblings William 13, Robert 11, Jane and Mary 4 were in the household.

Records pertaining to Anthony’s location in 1891, when he would have been 19 years old, have not been located.

In 1901 Anthony was living at Woodbine Terrace, Ashington, Northumberland where he was a coal miner and single. His age in the census documents for that period is shown as 19; this is incorrect and should be 29.

Anthony was married in 1902 to Jane Ann Bawn. The 1911 Census confirms his marriage date and shows Anthony was living at 16, Back Row, Bomarsund, Northumberland, working in the coalmines as a hewer, now aged 39. Children in his family include George 8, Nancy 7, Mathew 5 and Thomas aged 3.

Military records show Anthony enlisted at Bedlington and his effects went to widow Jane Ann.

Anthony Laws is remembered in Bedlington on B15.06, in Stakeford on S71.02, and in West Sleekburn on W34.01