Thomas Laing
Medal Index card
Menin Gate
Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
Thomas Laing Jnr. was born December 16th 1886 at Kelloe, County Durham the youngest of 2 sons and 2 daughters. His father, coal miner, Thomas Laing Snr of Shadford, born November 24th 1857, married at Durham, July 27th 1878, Maria Gibson born August 22nd 1860 at Trimdon also in County Durham. Tragically Thomas Snr died aged only 31 years during the 1st quarter of 1888 leaving his wife to care for their children, all under the age of 8. Maria remarried in 1893 to widower Richard Lisco, native of Low Moseley, County Durham, born 1855, who had 5 children of his own. By 1901 they were living at Brandon and Byshottles where he was employed at the colliery below ground as a coal miner as was Maria’s eldest son, John (18), Thomas (14) was a pony driver, her daughter Catherine (20) worked from home as a dressmaker, Richard’s elder children were married only Phyllis and Richard junior lived at home.
Thomas Laing Jnr’s family was living at Langley Park by 1911, he had left home as he had married, October 14th 1909 in the district of Lanchester to Sarah Hanson, born August 22nd 1888 at Felling, near Gateshead, County Durham. They moved to 104, Argyle Street, Hebburn-on-Tyne with their two children, Catherine born December 4th 1909 and Thomas Jnr. July 17th 1911, William was born March 1914. On the outbreak of war Thomas left his employment as a miner to enlist at Felling, September 19th 1914, assigned as Private 19215 to the 15th Battalion Durham Light Infantry. In late September and early October 1914, 2,000 recruits travelled by train from Newcastle to Buckinghamshire. At Aylesbury, half were formed into the 14th (Service) Battalion DLI, the other half assembled at Halton Park, near Aylesbury, as the 15th (Service) Battalion DLI.
October 3rd, the 14th DLI moved to join 15th DLI at the tented camp on Halton Park, with both then forming part of the 64th Brigade of the 21st Division. Bad weather, no khaki uniforms, dummy rifles, and too few officers kept training to little more than basic drill. However, in early December, both battalions moved to billets in High Wycombe and their training began in earnest when khaki uniforms and rifles were issued. Whilst undergoing training he was given leave either because of or coincidentally at the same time as his son William was ill. William died aged 11 month, February 6th 1915, the cause, measles and bronco pneumonia, at 35 Ushaw Terrace, Ushaw Moor which was not their home. Thomas as informant gave their home address as 48, First Street, Felling and obtained an advance of 2 shillings 7 pence in order to obtain a death certificate. Returned to his unit, in early April 1915, the 14th and 15th Battalions marched back to a newly built camp of wooden huts on Halton Park. Training then intensified as the battalions prepared for service overseas, before a final move in July 1915 to Witley Camp, near Aldershot.
On 11 September 1915, both the 14th and 15th Battalions Durham Light Infantry landed at Boulogne as part of the 21st Division. Private Laing was promoted that same day to the rank of Lance Corporal. Two weeks later both inexperienced and unprepared battalions were sent into battle at Loos, in the first major British offensive on the Western Front. After a long march, wet, tired and hungry, the battalions moved forwards across the old British front line, reaching the old German front about 2am on September 26th. Both battalions attacked later that morning only to be driven back by machine gun fire. In the fighting, 14th lost almost 300 men killed or wounded, whilst 15th lost over 450 men. Amongst the dead were their two commanding officers.
After a winter in the trenches at Armentieres, the 15th Battalion was moved south to prepare for the opening of the Battles of the Somme. About 7.30 am on 1 July 1916, 15th Battalion attacked the German front line north of Fricourt. By early afternoon, the battalion had advanced to Shelter Wood, taking 200 German prisoners for the loss of 450 men killed or wounded, including the commanding officer.
Private 19219 Lance Corporal Laing Durham Light Infantry was one of those killed July 1st 1916. His sacrifice is recorded as one of 72,246 names inscribed on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, Thiepval, France, commemorating servicemen from the United Kingdom and South Africa killed on the battlefields of the Somme 1915-1918 and who have no known grave.
His widow received all monies due to him, a pension for herself and their children also his awards of the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal sent to her at 48, Front Street, Felling, County Durham. Sarah never remarried and died aged 81 years, July 27th 1970, district of Durham NE.
Thomas’s half brother Oswald Lisco born March 5th 1900 living at 21, Third Street, Wardley Colliery, enlisted, aged 18 years 31 days, April 5th 1918 at Newcastle upon Tyne, found to be fit and assigned as Private 110982 to the Young Soldiers Training Reserve, 53rd Battalion Durham Light Infantry the following day. Under the rules of 1917 conscripts aged 18 years and one month were first sent to a Young Soldier battalion and then, after basic training, moved into a Graduated battalion to complete their training. Every three months, this system produced a company of about 200 trained 19 year old soldiers ready for active service overseas. Private Lisco was transferred to the 51st Graduated Battalion D.L.I, May 11th 1918 and by November 11th 1918 to the 3rd (Reserve) Battalion. After the Armistice he was demobilised February 18th 1919 to Class ‘Z’ Reserve, “liable to recall should hostilities with Germany resume”.
Richard Lisco, Thomas’s step-father died aged 73 years in 1928, his mother Maria Lisco-Laing nee Gibson died January 18th 1940 at Windy Nook, Gateshead, County Durham aged 79 years.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
Thomas Laing is remembered at Heworth on H92.03 at Felling on F32.06 and at Wardley on W97.01
