Edward Claridge Laman 1877 - 1916

He was a born in Holborrn and lived in London until at least 1911. He was a printer/compositor in London and moved to High Street, Harston after 1911 to work  at the Foxton Press. The son of George and Selina, he married Elizabeth Chapman in Wiltshire in 1899 and had two sons – Claridge Edward Arthur (1903-66) who lived in Harston all his life and Wilfred George (1908-13) who died in Histon Isolation Hospital. Wilfred and Elizabeth are both buried in Harston.

He served in the 8^th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment, and was killed on 19 April 1916 when, after 2 hours heavy bombardment, the Germans attacked the Yser Canal Bank trenches. It was reported that night that 3 were killed, 100 missing believed killed and 66 wounded.harston

The Cambridge Independent Press of 5 May 1916 reported that a memorial service was held by the Harston pastor, Rev W Burnett, for Privates Edward Laman and Edward Northrop, both fatally wounded at the front. Sympathy was expressed to the bereaved families.

Edward’s name was added to the Harston war memorial in 2016. He is also commemorated on Ypres Menin Gate Memorial and  on the University Tutorial Press Roll of Honour on their plaque in Foxton.