Illustrated Chronicle 28/11/1914
Medal Index Card
Photo : Mackay
Photo of headstone: Brian Chandler
Tyne Engineer Officers 1913 Monckton Camp
In Whitley Bay (Hartley South) Cemetery is a family headstone, the kerb of which carries the following:
Private Edwin Victor Laidlow
1st London Scottish
Oct. 31st 1914 aged 23 years.
Edwin Victor Laidlow was born at 111 George Street, Westgate, Elswick, Newcastle-upon-Tyne in April 1891, baptised on the 18th June 1891 at St Pauls Church, Elswick, the second son of 4 children to William, a pattern maker at Armstrong's Works, [born 20th June 1863, died 25th July 1941 at 4 Orchard Place, Hexham, eldest son of John, born 1839 died 1907, a Railway servant, and Elizabeth, born 1835 died 1910], and Lilly, {nee Dees}, [daughter of Thomas and Margaret {nee Laing}, Dees, both born in 1840 at Gateshead], born Gateshead 2nd October 1867, died 23rd May 1937, they were married at St Pauls Church in Elswick, on the 5th August 1888.
In 1881 Lilly Dees was residing at 1 Victoria Cottage, Elswick where she was born.
William and Lilly Laidlow had 4 children Charles William Laidlow, born 5th June 1889, baptised 7th July 1889, who married a Charlotte S. born 21st May 1891, they had two children Edwin Victor, born 8th May 1917 and Charlotte K. born 29th March 1920, she married a man called Scott, in 1939 they were residing at 40 King's Road, Whitley Bay, Northumberland, Charles was a Café Proprietor, [also a Special Constable], his son Edwin Victor Laidlow was a Medical Student, he was married in September 1941 to a Simpson, Charlotte K, was a shorthand Typist, Edwin Victor Laidlow, Lilly Laidlow, born 25th June 1897, married at St Pauls Church, Whitley Bay, 21st September 1927, died August 1960, and Margaret Gwendoline Laidlow born 6th October 1901, baptised 3rd November 1901, married a George William Urwin 1923, died 7th July 1970.
Edwin Victor Laidlow was educated at the Dame Allan School then located at the West End of Newcastle. Edwin and his brother Charles were very keen Rugby players and were playing for Rockcliffe Rugby Club.
On Saturday 7th March 1914 the Laidlow brothers were playing at Dene Park, Hexham for Rocklcliffe 2nd against the Tynedale 2nd in the semi-final, kick off 3.15. The team had to catch the 2.20 express from Central.
Source : Newcastle Journal Saturday 07/03/1914.
Saturday 24th January 1914 Rockcliffe playing the Old Novocastrians at Whitley Hill Head. Kick off 2.45. After the match Rockcliffe have a smoking concert at Whitley Bay which starts at 7.45pm.
Source : Newcastle Journal Saturday 24/01/1914.
In 1901 the family were residing at Victoria House, [on the end of Westmorland Terrace], prior to moving to Tynemouth in 1902. They were residing at Dene House, King Edward's Road, Tynemouth, in 1911.
He was also a member of the Tynemouth Rowing Club. Edwin was a commercial traveller selling tubing for the Mannesmann Tube Company, [once owned by Vodafone], at their branch in Newcastle. [His parents received a letter from the Managing Director, Mr A.C. Williams, of the company testifying to the esteem in which he was held by the company]. Prior to this he served his Engineering apprenticeship at Henry Watson, of Walker Gate.
By 1914 the family were residing at Whitley Bay, at 42 Marine Avenue.
On the outbreak of the War, Edwin was in London, so he tried to enlist with the Royal Engineers, this was due to having served 2 [sic] 3 years under Captain Burton, [then in 1907 Lieutenant H. E. Burton was acting adjutant of the Tyne Division Royal Engineers, was recognised as an authority on electric lighting work, having specialised in that branch on active serviced in South Africa. Service number 15931 Colour Sergeant Major. He died in December 1944. In 1905 the R.N.L.I. asked Lieutenant Burton to supervise the trials of their first Motor Lifeboat, which was to be installed at Tynemouth. As none of the local fisherman in those days would trust a motor-boat, this officer with permission of the C.R.E., had formed a crew of sappers from the 16th Company, Coast Battalion RE., and with them ran the boat until the fisherman were convinced that she was superior to their rowing life-boat. The sapper crew actually manned the for eight months, after which the fishermen agreed to form a crew on the condition that Lieutenant Burton remained in charge of the boat. He became Honorary Superintendent of the Tynemouth boat and remained a lifeboat man for a period of 20 years. He became a Lieutenant on the 4th June 1902, then acting Captain on the 20th June 1910, then Captain on 4th June 1911, Brevet Major on the 5th April 1915, then a Major in the R.E., on the 5th September 1915. He retired on the 15th September 1919. However he was Adjutant of the 50th Northumbrian Division R.E., on the 1st January 1922 until the 1st January 1925], of Lifeboat fame with the Tyne Submarine Miners, [the Submarine Miner unit was by the British Government abolished on the 1st June 1907, it was now called the Tyne Division Royal Engineers (Volunteers) Electrical Engineers, Army Orders June 1907 London Gazette 11th June 1907], however they were full, he then tried the Royal Flying Corps, they required 200 men they had received over 3000 applications, so Edwin keen to serve was accepted in the 2nd Battalion London Scottish Regiment. He had enlisted at 59 Buckingham Gate
1908 as part of the Territorial Force to join the unit a soldier had to be either Scottish, or of Scottish descent. He also had to pay a joining fee; the money being used for regimental funds. Before 1914 this fee was ten pounds, an enormous sum; it was done to ensure that the men who joined the rank and file of the regiment were from Middle Class families and not the back streets of London.
'1/14th (County of London) Battalion (London Scottish) in August 1914 were at 59 Buckingham Gate. Part of 4th London Brigade, 2nd London Division. Moved on mobilisation to Abbotts Langley. On the 16th September 1914, left the Division and landed at Le Havre. Was engaged at Messines on 31 October 1914 under command of Cavalry Corps. On the 7th November 1914 came under th February 1916 transferred to 168th Brigade in 56th (London) Division.'
When the 1st Battalion were ordered overseas, 50 men did not pass the stringent medical examinations so these were filled by the 2nd Battalion. Edwin was on of these volunteers. He enlisted on Thursday 3rd September 1914, service number 3145, rank of private, then was given leave from the 5th September till the 6th September and on the following Tuesday, 8th September, [sic] left Southampton for France on the 15th September, [the following newspaper account has mixed up the week date], He was put into 'H' Company, which was one of two companies detailed to meet the Indian Troops on their arrival at Marseilles, before heading straight for the front line.
Meanwhile, for the defenders on Messines Ridge the problem that night of 31st October/1st November was that they had no continuous line and the Germans wee able to infiltrate through them. London Scottish, whom had fended of a German attack at about midnight faced another attack at 2am on the 1st November. A great wave of shouting men with bayonets fixed surged in upon the London Scottish centre and left, poured over the advanced trenches and reached the road, forcing back the line by mere weight of numbers. The charge swept around the left flank, pushed in between it and the cavalry trenches, and getting through to the left rear interposed between the former line and the reserve on Enfer height. this was for the London Scottish the most critical moment of the battle. If the heights were lost and the flank enveloped , nothing could save the battalion from destruction. Colonel Malcolm realised the danger. A charge of part of his small reserve pushed back the Bavarians who were working around the flank and , after a sharp fight, touch was regained with the left of the hard pressed line.
Source : Battleground Ypres 1914 Messines Nigel Cave and Jack Sheldon, Pen and Sword Books ISBN 9781781592014.
The London Scottish lost 394 ranks in the first two days of November.
Edwin was wounded on the 1st November by shrapnel and was being carried away from the front line towards the rear when he was killed by a shell.
There was an account by a wounded comrade, who then was in the Newcastle Royal Infirmary who states that he fought by the side of Edwin and he fell with serious injuries to his legs. His wounds were addressed by a cavalryman from the 6th Dragoons, who then placed him in the shelter of a haystack. During the progress of the battle the haystack came within the range of the enemy's gunfire, he then was mortally wounded by shrapnel.
Edwin's parents moved during the war to 69 Marine Avenue, Whitley Bay.
Edwin is purported to be the first person from Whitley Bay to die in WW1. He is also reported to be the first pupil from Dame Allan's School to fall.
The London Scottish were the first Territorial Unit into action in WWI, Messines Ridge, 1st November 1915.
Edwin Victor Laidlow left £125 10s to his father William Laidlow a restaurant proprietor in his will.
Charlotte Sarah Laidlow left £71150 7s 4d to her son Edwin Victor Laidlow medical practitioner and Bernard Francis William Scott managing director. She died on the 11th January 1962 at Retford Hospital, Nottinghamshire.
Whitley Seaside Chronicle and Visitor's Gazette - Saturday, 28/11/1914:-
It is regrettable to state that the uncertainty with regard to the rumoured death of Mr E. V. Laidlow, second son of Mr and Mrs Laidlow, of 42 Marine Avenue, has at last been dispelled by a communication to the parents from the Territorial Force Record Office, stating their deep regret at having to inform them that Private E. V. Laidlaw was killed in action on the 1st November. No further particulars, however have as yet been afforded, though on good authority Mr Laidlow has been informed that his son was first wounded in the trenches, and on being taken a little distance to the rear, killed by a shell.
Mr E. V. Laidlow, of the London Scottish.- a Territorial regiment whose feats in the Field are known to all our readers - was but twenty-three years of age. A native of Newcastle he had for the last dozen years resided with his parents on the seaside, firstly at Tynemouth, and later at Whitley Bay. He served his apprenticeship as an engineer with Henry Watson, of Walker Gate, and was afterwards with the Mannesmann Tube Company at their branch in Newcastle, a letter received by his parents from Mr A. C. Williams, of London, managing director, testifying to the esteem in which he was held by that firm. On the war breaking out, Mr Laidlow was in London, and having served two years with the Tyne Submarine Miners, under Captain Burton, of lifeboat fame, he endeavoured to join the Engineers. Their ranks were full, however, and he next essayed to enter the Flying Corps. Two hundred men were wanted to fill the ranks, but on being informed that no less than three thousand prior applications confronted him, young Laidlow, eager to do something for his country, was accepted for the Second Battalion London Scottish, firstly on the strength of being a North countryman, and secondly because of his prior service with the Submarine Miners. On the First Battalion being ordered for service about fifty men were unable to pass the stringent medical examination necessary, and these vacancies being filled from the Second Battalion Mr Laidlow was one of the volunteers selected. He joined on Thursday the third of September, got leave to spend the following Saturday and Sunday at home, and on the succeeding Tuesday left for Southampton for France. As a member of the "H" Company his was one of the two London Scottish Companies detailed to meet the Indian Troops on their arrival at Marseilles, and from thence went straight to the firing line to give his life for his country.
Edwin Victor Laidlow is remembered at Fenham on F31.01, at Whitley Bay on W84.01, W84.02 in W84.30 page 21, and in Tynemouth on T36.12 and in T36.14 page 34.
