L/Bdr John Laurie Aged 22. Died seven days after being shot by a sniper while on mobile patrol in the Crumlin Road area of Belfast.
At 2145 hours on the evening of the 8 February 1971, L/Bdr Laurie was the driver of the rear landrover in a two-vehicle mobile patrol driving up the Crumlin Road. As they passed the junction with Butler Street, a blast bomb was thrown at them which exploded between the two vehicles. A gunman then opened up on the rear vehicle with a long burst of automatic fire from a Thompson SMG, wounding the driver and another Gunner who was in the back of the vehicle. The injury to the soldier in the back was not serious, but Jock was hit in the head and sadly, he died seven days later.
L/Bdr Laurie is officially recognised as the second fatality due to terrorist action and both of those losses were incurred by the same Regiment.
A good soldier and a better mate.