Notes
His biography on the College website (see References) reads as follows: 'John Currie Lauder, Captain Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. John Currie Lauder came up to Jesus College in October 1910 having attended the City of London School. Born: Hamilton, South Lanarkshire on 19 November 1891, Fell in action: 29 December 1916.
Low profile at College - He was the son of Harry Lauder the famous comedian and vaudeville theatre singer. In the May Term 1912 edition of Chanticlere there is a letter from an anonymous person (B.BIT. R.A.) which complains that the magazine is written for the “amusement and edification (?) of only a few members” (p32). It appears that Lauder is not one of the few as the only mention of him is as the cox to the third boat in the Lent Races 1911.
"A fine baritone voice" - However the obituary for him in the Jesus College Society Annual Report, 1917 gives a quite detailed account of him and in particular his musical abilities. The obituary says “he had a fine baritone voice” and that he scored and orchestrated many of his father’s songs. It also suggests that he had no desire to follow in his father’s footsteps, rather that he had wanted to enter Law as a profession.
Wounded three times - Lauder was apparently in Australia when war broke out, he returned almost immediately and joined the Argyle and Sutherland Highlanders. He was injured three times, firstly at Festubert, then when he returned to the front he was again invalided home after being gassed and had only just returned to the front after being injured again when he was killed in December 1916. According to a newspaper report the theatre where his father was performing cancelled both the matinee and evening performances when the news came through. His father was prostrated with grief: “Father and son were passionately devoted to each other and the famous comedian is heartbroken”. The same newspaper report also says that he was also engaged to Mildred Thomson, daughter of a Scottish farmer.'