WARRANT OFFICER SECOND CLASS J LAIDLAW RM

Jake Laidlaw, RM01446, was born in a police station in Bombay, India in 1939, where his father was a Police Inspector and his grandfather was Detective Chief Superintendent of the CID in Bombay. He personally witnessed the uprising as independence was sought and claims to have been touched by the hand of Mahatma Gandhi! Upon moving back to the UK, Jake enlisted in the Sea Cadets and helped rescue victims of the 1953 floods in Felixstowe. Jake joined the Royal Marines in 1954 aged 15 as a Bugler and Drummer on 2 November 1954. He never lost his ability to awaken all family and visitors with the sounds of his bugle! Based at the RM School of Music in Deal, he progressed to First Class RM Bugler via Plymouth, Eastney, HMS Gambia and HMS Ganges. He was an avid boxer and fought numerous times, once meeting (not fighting) with former World Heavyweight Champion Jack Dempsey in the USA.

On 5 December 1960, he commenced Commando training with 753 Squad in Deal, completing this on 1 April 1961. Jake was posted to Singapore from 1962-64, serving with 42 Cdo RM in Borneo and Brunei including Limbang and served as a Section Commander. He returned to CTCRM and qualified as an AE, taking charge of Demo Troop. He returned to Singapore and active duty in Borneo/Brunei from 1968-71 as Troop Sergeant, before moving to Recce Troop. After a period as AE Colour Sergeant at CTCRM, Jake was posted to Malta from 1974-76 with 41 Cdo RM becoming Company Sergeant Major (WO2) in 1975. Jake was deployed on UN Peacekeeping duties during the 1974 Cyprus Conflict, responsible for mine clearing. He was based at a variety of locations including the abandoned Nicosia International Airport. He recounted stories of how they fashioned drainage pipes into fake artillery to keep the Turks guessing!

Jake was Captain of the Royal Marines shooting team and was Champion of the Royal Marines (aka RM Jewels) in 1973, 1975, 1977 and 1978 and runner up in 1974. His outstanding shooting ability led to him becoming the Queen’s Medal winner in 1977 and 1979, receiving a telegram from HRH Queen Elizabeth II in Jubilee Year which always took pride of place in his house. The latter victory was achieved despite being wounded from a ricochet during pre-Bisley training in Hythe, when a bullet was embedded in his upper thigh, where it always remained. The person who fired the bullet remained a mystery until Jake’s wake, when Capt Bill Holmes stepped forward and claimed responsibility!