Private James Laidlaw

Private James C. Laidlaw, 1st Battalion, Natal Mounted Rifles, South African Forces. He was killed by shellfire, aged 41, near Tobruk in the Western Desert on 14th June 1942 and is commemorated on the Alamein Memorial, Egypt. He had been born in Morebattle and was the son of the late William and Isabella Laidlaw of Morebattle. Before enlisting he had been employed as  a bricklayer. The Regiment  was an armoured reconnaissance Regiment in the 6th South African Armoured Division and operated the Sherman Tank. ( His brother Kenneth also fell – see below )