Robert Alexander Laing (SN 1975) was born in Ballarat but was living in Springvale with his wife Rosa when he first enlisted on July 18th 1915. He trained with the 9th Depot Battalion at Ascot Vale until he went absent without leave in November. On November 24th he was registered as a deserter but on November 25th he re-enlisted. This time he trained with the 3rd Light Horse Regiment at Seymour before leaving Australia aboard the Afric on January 5th 1916. Shortly after reaching Egypt he was hospitalised with influenza. After recovering he moved on to France where he transferred to the 10th Field Artillery Brigade in June 1917. His service was dotted with a number of discipline breaches but he managed to avoid battle wounds and returned to Australia aboard the China, disembarking at Melbourne on June 8th 1919.

Lucas’s Staffs Appreciation of Brave Men, the original Avenue register, records his name as Robert A. Lang.