Michael Boyle
Joined: 12 Dec 2005 |
Posts: 595 |
Location: Bucks County,PA,US |
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Posted: Fri Dec 07, 2007 6:49 am |
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Selected Writings of the Late William Moorsom Laurence, Major Commanding Left Wing Kimberly Horse and Editor of the "Diamond News."by William Moorsom Laurence. [The editor, or actually the compiler takes no credit but the Introduction is signed P.M.L., which considering the dedication - "To My Mother This Imperfect Record of the Brightest and Bravest of Her Sons is Lovingly Inscribed.", leads me to believe it was one of William's brothers.]
I found this in Google Books which lists three editions but all are Richards, Slater & Co., Church Square, Grahamstown, 1882. The library search yields only three copies of the book ; Yale, Kimberly Africana and Univ. Stellenbosch J. S. Gericke Library, and two microfiche ; Harvard and Oxford.
The book is 163 pages consisting of eleven letters he wrote during the A-ZW, ten during the Basuto War, a Latin translation of a Lord Byron Poem that won him a prize at age 12 from Haileybury College, a speech he gave on 22 June 1880 in Kimberly on the Annexation and his last three editorials in the "Diamond News" on "Lord Kimberley's Instructions to Sir Hercules Robinson". It also contains an appendix on Thlotse Heights with the Garrison Order by Lt.Col. C.H.Bell, 10 Mar 81, four accounts of the attack, a memorial poem and 12 obituary extracts.
Major Laurence was killed in 1881 while leading his troops. He was 25 years old.
I'd never read of this gentleman before. This is all I could find on him in a 'net search -
The Haileybury Register, 1862-1891 - born 1855 son of Rev. P. Laurence, East Clayden, Winslow." (Under which entry is "Thomason, 1868.I[1?], U.M.R.-1868.3. V.I.[1?] Sch. 1868. "[Not sure what that means].)
I don't have access to the 1873 Hart's but the 1874 and 1875 show him as commissioned 9 Apr 1873 as Control Department, Sub Assistant Commissary, Aldershot.
The 1876, 1877, and 1878 Hart's show Lt. 9 Apr 1875, Army Service Corps.
The 1879 Hart's show him resigned as Assistant Commissary from the Commissariat and Transport Department.
He was the grandson of Capt. Moorsom, RE, the great-grandson of Adm. Sir Robert Moorsom (commander of "Revenge" at Trafalgar) and nephew, godson and namesake of William Robert Moorsom, (52nd L.I.,DAQG to Outram) who was killed leading his troops at the final relief of Lucknow. At 23 years old. Laurence, while studying for the Indian School of Engineering, on a dare and with no preparation, took the examination for admittance into the Imperial Army Control Deptartment. He placed 2nd of 600 for the 20 positions available. At age seventeen.
He appears to be one of the few commissary and transport specialists sent to SA in preparation for the first invasion, during the preparations for which he was injured in an accident that left him in P-M during the initial invasion itself. This led to his start in journalism. He sent several letters back to the Daily News which were widely 'borrowed' and quoted from by other English papers.
He was one of two killed in one of the last engagements of the Basuto War. A war he argued against but in which he none the less felt compelled to serve.
I'd like to reproduce the entire content of his eleventh letter on the A-ZW, as this book appears to be well out of any country's copyright limitations, but need to do a bit more legal research first.
Actually this book may be a prime candidate for D.P.&G.
Best
Michael
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