writing in 1918 said McLaren "undoubtedly anticipated Einstein and Abraham in their suggestion of a variable velocity of light, with the consequent expressions for the energy and momentum of the gravitational field". In 1913 he was made professor of mathematics at University College, Reading where he took much interest in the development of the young university. In 1913 he shared the, at the time, biennial Adams Prize of the University of Cambridge with Nicholson. Late life In 1914 he visited Australia with other members of the British Association for the Advancement of Science, and met his parents again shortly before his father died. The First World War broke out while he was in Australia, and on his return to England he enlisted and was given a commission as lieutenant in the Royal Engineers. Though he loathed bloodshed and was altogether out of his element he did valuable work in charge of signalling and electrical communications. During the Battle of the Somme, on 26 July 1916, near Abbeville, he was shot in the head while endeavouring to clear a pit of bombs threatened by a nearby fire. He returned a second time to continue this work, but was hit again. He was carried on a stretcher to the dressing station, on the way the bearers put the stretcher down for a minutes rest, and Lt. McLaren stood up, declaring he was too heavy and would walk. He collapsed and after a few days in hospital he died of his wounds on 13 August 1916. He was unmarried and was buried at Abbeville. Described as 'absolutely fearless and intrepid to an extent which made him both an anxiety to his brother officers and an inspiration to his men', one of the tragedies of his death was that it occurred before he published his papers and consequently much of his work was lost. His death and that of Henry Moseley were considered as perhaps the two most irreparable losses to British science caused by the First World War. Papers by McLaren were published posthumously as Scientific Papers (Cambridge, 1925) with a preface by Sir Joseph Larmor, a 'Personal Appreciation' by Prof. Hugh Walker and a reprint of an obituary by Prof. J. W. Nicholson. In it McLaren's best friend Prof. Walker wrote; He bore the load of thoughts that passed the spheres Exile he bore, for duty must be done Few were his