35642 Lieutenant Arthur Frederick Banks Laidlaw, 22/8/1889-27/3/1918.

Private advice was received from the Minister of Defence last evening to the effect that Second Lieut. A. F. Laidlaw had been killed in action on March 27. This is the second son of Mr Robert Laidlaw, sen., of Herne Bay, to make the supreme sacrifice. On the 17th day of the same month only two years ago the sad news was received that Lieut J. R. Laidlaw, R.N.F.C, had been killed in an aeroplane accident. Now his brother, Arthur has fallen fighting in the great cause. Lieut. A. F. Laidlaw volunteered in the early stages of the war for the Artillery, for which he studied hard for months, but when it was found there was a surplus for that branch, at the suggestion of the authorities, he willingly transferred to the infantry. 

Entering camp as a private, he quickly gained his stripes as corporal, then sergeant, and in the examination for commissions he secured second highest marks, and was duly gazetted second lieutenant. Finally he left the Dominion as adjutant of the troopship in which he sailed. After only four weeks in England he was drafted across to France, where he has since been in the firing line. It is clear from the cable that he is only one of many who met death in the present big offensive. Such is a brief resume of the military career of one of New Zealand's sons. He leaves a young wife and baby girl and a family who have now to mourn the loss of two sons. In business he was associated with the deceased Lieut. J. R. Laidlaw and Mr. Robert A. Laidlaw, head of the well known firm of Laidlaw Leeds, who is now the sole surviving son of the family." - Auckland Star, 9/4/1918.

St Clair School Hall

Southern Cemetery, Dunedin

NB: His brother, John, will be the subject of a further story.   I was initially confused when I saw the initials RNFC on his stone in the southern Cemetery and a little research based on his rank of Sub-lieutenant showed that the RNFC (Royal Naval Flying Corps) did not exist.  This aerial service of the Royal Navy was the Royal Naval Air Service until its amalgamation with the Army's Royal Flying Corps on April 1st, 1918.  For some reason, the papers reporting John's death used the letters RNFC and the family and/or stonemason making the inscription followed suit.