Folklore: Laughingsplein (or plain)

Subject: Folklore: Laughinsplein
From: CET
Date: 09 Aug 05 - 09:17 PM

In a song of Brian MacNeill's, "Bring the Lassie Hame", there's a line that reads "And you were only two hours march from Laughinsplain." Brian told us at the Goderich Celtic College last week that this refers to his father's service at Aldershot during the war. "Laughinngsplain" (Brian's spelling) was the mythological soldier's paradise where the beer was free and which was always two hours march away. I suspect the spelling should be Laughingsplein, as it sounds like it came from the Boer War.

I've read a fair bit about the British Army, but I've never come across this bit of folklore before. Does anybody know anything about it, and whether there are any references to it? (No hits on Google).

Edmund

Subject: RE: Folklore: Laughinsplein
From: CET
Date: 09 Aug 05 - 09:18 PM

I see I've misspelled it twice. It should be Laughingsplein (or plain).

CET