Source: “Duty Nobly Done” page 232 and 249.
Indicated on his attestation papers his military service as being in the “Harvard Regiment” in Boston, Massachusetts. Biographical information here indicates he died in Boston, Massachusetts August 08, 1920.
HARVARD WAR-DEGREES
War Still Figures in Awards as Shown By Governing Board’s Movement
Cambridge, March 11 – War-degrees still figure in academic awards at Harvard college. In the announcement to-day that the governing boards of the university have voted to grant degrees to 163 students at midyears, it was stated that about half of the 87 men given the degree of bachelor of arts were granted it with 25 per cent allowance “for honorable service in the war.”
A war degree was conferred posthumously on David S. Laird, ’19, of Amherst, N.S., who came to Harvard in 1915, enlisted in the Canadian army shortly afterwards, returning to college in 1919 after 3 years fighting, and after completing the requirements for the war degree died last August of heart trouble.
Mrs. Mathieson, wife of Chief Justice Mathieson, has received a telegram from her brother, Mr. D.R. Laird, stating that his youngest son Sydney had died very suddenly Sunday in Boston, where he had been under treatment in a hospital. The deceased was only twenty-three years of age. After a course in the Latin School at Amherst he entered Harvard University and was a student there when the war broke out. He enlisted in the Nova Scotia Highlanders and fought with their regiment for three years. When the war was over he re-entered Harvard and resumed his arts course. Mr. Laird spent last summer in Charlottetown. He was a young man of splendid intellectual and physical attainments, and excelled in athletic sports. He was very popular with his associates and the news of his death will be learned with deep regret by all who knew him. He leaves to mourn besides his father, one brother, Arthur who is taking an engineering course in Harvard, and one sister Alethe, at present in Charlottetown. The remains will be brought to the Island for burial and the funeral will take place from the residence of Chief Justice Mathieson. Notice of this will appear later. The bereaved family will have the deep sympathy of all in their great sorrow.
Source: The Charlottetown Guardian; August 10, 1920; Page 3. Via https://westendvancouver.wordpress.com/biographies-a-m/biographies-l/laird-david-rennie-1865-1948/
War Diary of the 18th Battalion CEF 