William LAING

Regimental number24/2236
Date of birth13 June 1895
Place of birthKoputaroa
ReligionPresbyterian
OccupationFarmer
Marital statusSingle
Height5' 7"
Weight135 lbs
Next of kinMother, Mrs D. Laing, Bruce Road, Wereroa, Levin
Previous military serviceServed in C Company, 7th Regiment, Territorial Force; still serving at time of NZEF enlistment.
Enlistment date14 December 1915
Rank on embarkationRifleman
Enlistment statusVolunteer
Unit nameNew Zealand Expeditionary Force, New Zealand Rifle Brigade, 1915, 5th Reinforcements to 2nd Battalion, F Company
Embarkation detailsUnit embarked from Wellington on 1 April 1916
Final rankPrivate
Final unit2nd Battalion, Otago Infantry Regiment
FateKilled in Action 1 October 1916
Age at death from cemetery records21
Place of burialNo known grave
Commemoration detailsCaterpillar Valley (New Zealand) Memorial, Longueval, France
Miscellaneous information from
  cemetery records
Parents: David and Jane Laing, Weraroa, Wellington
Other details

War service: Egypt, Western Front

Embarked Wellington, 1 April 1916; disembarked Suez, 2 May 1916.

Embarked Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Force, 20 May 1916; disembarked Marseilles, France, 20 May 1916.

Transferred to 2nd Anzac Entrenching Bn, 29 July 1916; posted to 4th Company, Houplines, 9 August 1916.

Killed in action, 1 October 1916.

Medals: British War Medal, Victory Medal
SourcesNominal Roll Vol. 2: Roll 27, p. 6
Archives New Zealand (Wellington), Agency AABK, Series 18805.

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