On October 20, 1914 Alfred Benson Laing enlisted in the 18th Battalion. He was a 24-year-old druggist with three years of officer cadet experience coupled with 7 years’ experience with the 21st Volunteers[i]. His next of kin information is noteworthy as his father was Colonel Frederick Herbert Laing located at the Laing building at the corner of Ouellete Avenue and Pitt Street in his native Windsor, Ontario[ii]. Like his father[iii], he was a pharmacist and he came by his military heritage from his father who was an active member of Canada’s militia in the Windsor area.
Captain Laing’s service with the 18th Battalion was relatively short lived. He served with the Battalion from October 20, 1914 until March 25, 1916 when he was transferred to the 36th Battalion. His service record is peppered with hospital stays for kidney problems, venereal disease gonorrhea (severe), epididymitis, orchitis, pulmonary haemorrhage, and “tuberculosis pulmonary”. Eventually his health condition, related in Medical Board report dated June 20, 1918, resulted in his discharge from the Canadian Army as medically unfit due to “tubercle of lungs” on December 6, 1918.[iv]
During his service in England he met and married Nora Hammersly Heenan[v] which was announced in the Toronto World Newspaper on September 8, 1917. They are married on September 10, 1917 and his assigned and separation pay documentation shows that starting in October 1917 his pay was assigned to Nora Benson residing, as of October 10, 1918, at West View, Wood Road, Windhead, Surrey. Later, a notation to forward the pay to 75 Victoria Avenue, Windsor, Ontario starting in April 1918 is made indicating his wife has moved to this address in Canada.
At some point a notation in his service record indicates an updated address of 1410 Monroe Street, Phoenix, Arizona. This undated change of address indicates Captain Laing move to a climate better suited for his medical condition.
Then, so far as can be ascertained, Captain Lang’s life is obscure but for a mention in two online references.
He and Nora had a daughter, Maureen Dragone[vi], who, like her mother Nora, was an influential arts journalist as a member of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA). Her mother, Nora Laing, founded the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. Maureen Dragone’s influence in this organization was further enhanced by her creation of the Young Artist Foundation and is credited in helping promote such young actors as Leonardo DiCaprio and Jodie Foster[vii]. A story relates that she was born in Phoenix, Arizona and her father and mother became bankrupt and in an attempt to get back to Canada via British Columbia ran out of money in Los Angeles, California where they stopped and created a new life.[viii] Nora founded the HFPA and Captain Laing became a builder, a writer in trade journals.
But he may have had another career…
Captain Alfred Benson Laing died July 27, 1976 and is buried beside his wife[ix] (who died November 29, 1982) at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills). At the Find A Grave web site Captain Laing’s short biography by A.J. Marik states:
“Actor. Appeared in silent screen films. He was featured in a comedy take-off of “Robin Hood,” produced by Universal.”[x]
No other independent corroboration can confirm this fact but given the apparent desperate straights the Laing family found themselves after the war one can imagine that any solution was sought to relieve their financial problems.
Captain Laing had no idea what was in store for him when he joined the 18th Battalion as one of the original members of the Battalion. His military experience led and/or contributed to a suite of medical issues and problems but he was to meet and marry his South African bride in England and his tuberculous required a change of geography to the drier and warmer climate of Arizona. From apparent financial distress in Phoenix he and his wife put down roots in Los Angeles at a time when the film industry was booming. Their lives in Los Angeles lead to the further involvement of their daughter Maureen who impacted the entertainment industry with her involvement with the film industry through the HFPA and the Young Artist Award and its recognition of young artists.
Who knew that Leonard DiCaprio can thank a Canadian Captain of the 18th Battalion and his war bride for some of his success?
[i] More correctly the 21st Regiment.
[ii] Norwich Block – Kamin (Laing) Building
[iii] Lt. Col. Frederick H. Laing biographical
[iv] Per Captain Laing Service Records
[v] Per C.E.F.S.G., WW1 War Brides and Soldiers’ Dependants thread.
[vi] Wikipedia article re. Maureen Dragone
[vii] Maureen Dragone, HFPA historian, dies at 93. Variety. Feb. 24, 2013
[viii] Sunday Woman. Daily News of Los Angeles. July 24, 1994
[ix] Nora Laing at Find A Grave
[x] Alfred Laing at Find A Grave
Discover more from History of the 18th Battalion CEF, "The Fighting Eighteenth"
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
History of the 18th Battalion CEF, "The Fighting Eighteenth" 
I’ve been following the history of Nora’s family – many of whom ended up living in Hollywood, including her father and her brother. i’ve not found any evidence of Alfred Laing’s involvement in films but Nora’s nephew Barry Heenan had some minor roles in three films in the 1940s.