Outdoor portrait of Major (Maj) Geoffrey McLaughlin MC, 1 Field Artillery Brigade. A Captain ...

Outdoor portrait of Major (Maj) Geoffrey McLaughlin MC, 1 Field Artillery Brigade. A Captain (Capt) in the Australian Field Artillery with four years’ service prior to the start of First World War he embarked with the 1st Field Artillery Brigade from Sydney on 18 October 1914 aboard HMAT Argyllshire (A8) for Egypt. During service at Gallipoli he suffered jaundice and was evacuated to Malta in early November 1915 before joining 1 FAB in Egypt following withdrawal from Gallipoli. Capt McLaughlin was awarded the Military Cross in January 1916 for distinguished service in the field and was also Mentioned in Despatches by General Sir Ian Hamilton. Capt McLaughlin was promoted to Major on 12 March 1916. The Brigade relocated to the Western Front, France, during March and April 1916. Maj Sexton was wounded in action near Flers on 1 November 1916 and was evacuated to Rouen and then to England for treatment and recuperation. In early April 1917 Maj McLaughlin rejoined 1 FAB near Amiens where he took command of the brigade with the temporary rank of Lieutenant Colonel (Lt Col) which he held until relieved by Lt Col S M Anderson DSO on 13 July 1917. Maj McLaughlin was wounded in action on a second occasion due to an attack by phosgene gas on 2 November 1917, died of these wounds two days later in No 2 Canadian Casualty Clearing Station and is buried in the Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery, Belgium. He was aged 30 years.