Piper Laidlaw, Victoria Cross, Loos 1915, Painted, C41c

Daniel Laidlaw was born at Norham near Berwick upon Tweed in 1875. He joined the 7th Bn., The Kings Own Scottish Borderers at the outbreak of the First World War. In 1915 the Battalion was serving as part of the 15th Scottish Division in Flanders near the town of Loos.
At the Division prepared to attack German positions at Hill 70 the front line troops were subjected to heavy artillery and poisoned gas attack. Many of the men were severely affected, the rest shaken. The commanding officer, seeing Laidlaw with his pipes shouted, " Pipe them together Laidlaw, for gods sake, pipe them together".
With complete disregard for his safety Daniel Laidlaw got onto the trench parapet, put wind into his bag and played 'Blue Bonnets O'er the Border'. The troops took heart and went on with the attack. Laidlaw, under intense German machine gun fire continued to play right up until the regiment seized their objectives.
Laidlaw was awarded the Victoria Cross and the Croix de Guerre for his valour.