| Surname: | Laffan |
| Initials: | T |
| Rank: | Lance Corporal |
| Army Number: | 527 |
| Notes: | MFP. Enlisted 4 King's Royal Rifle Corps, No. 3640 transferred to MFP, No. 527. Extract from the Burnley Express, 27/6/1900. Burnley Soldier Back From the War. Corporal T Laffan of the Military Foot Police. An enthusiastic reception was also accorded to Corporal Thomas Laffan, of the Military Foot Police attached to the West Yorkshire Regiment, who detrained at Barracks Station on Saturday night, having come on by the same train from Netley as Pte Coughlan and Pte Flynn. Besides a large crowd, he was awaited at the station by the Catholic Brass Band, which played several martial airs. Corporal Laffan went out to South Africa on October 20th, and arrived in Cape Town on the day the date of which, he jovially remarked " I cannot easily forget, November 10th, my birthday." He was with General Hilyard's column, being orderly to Colonel, now General Kitchener. Speaking with a representative of the express yesterday morning, The Corporal said he received his baptism of fire at Willow Grange, where, he said "I fought in sopping wet clothes." Other battles in which he participated were Colenso, Spion Kop, and Vaal Krantz, being at the relief of Ladysmith. "At Elandslaagte, " he remarked , had a hard experience of breakfast shots. We were getting ready for breakfast hen the Boers opened fire, and we had to form up for one of attack without a morsel in our stomachs." A fragment of shell, he added, came tight through their tent, and fell in the middle of the place. He was along with others who escorted the Boer prisoners down to Pietermaritzburg, where they handed them over to the Natal authorities. Speaking of the Relief of Ladysmith, he said they were fully repaid for their hardships and fighting by seeing the joy with which the relief force was received by the besieged people. At Spion Kop Cpl. Laffan, who of most genial disposition, received a bullet wound in the breast. Instead of being reported wounded, singular to say, he was stated to have been killed at Spion Kop... He is in possession of several curios, amongst which is the watch which belonged to the Boer commander, Pretorious. Cpl Laffan can congratulate himself that he is one of the privileged few who have read the reports of their own demise in the newspaper. He is, in this respect, in the very excellent company of Lord Brougham, and Sgt Simon, MP and one or two other notabilities. It is a decided advantage to read your own biography, which also few of us will have the opportunity of perusing. He has the same No. as Sgt Henman, MMP |
Decoration Record: | |
| Decoration: | Queen's South Africa Medal (London Gazette: QSA Medal Roll WO 100/234 Page: 202 Oct. 2, 1901) |
| Citation: | Clasps: Tugela Heights, Relief of Ladysmith. Medal Roll annotated: Issue authorised on roll of 2nd Bde Staff 68/Staff/532. 3640 Cpl 4/KRRC. Duplicated on Medal Roll WO 100/234, page 205, 17/6/01 MFP attached to 2 Brigade Staff shown Clasps: Transvaal, Tugela Heights, Relief of Ladysmith. His name is spelt Laffan on page 202 and Laffin on page 205.Medal Roll W) 100/196, page 392, 1/4/1903 Cpl 4 KRRC QSA shown as Orange Free State, Transvaal, South Africa 1902. Cpl 4 KRRC No. 3640. In remarks MFP, No. 527 |