Langmaid was born in to a Navy family in Vancouver and he studied maritime art with William Lionel Wyllie.

His artistic abilities led to him sketching landings in the Dardanelles, where he served aboard the battleship HMS Agamemnon.

He enjoyed some popularity and staged exhibitions in London, New York and Paris.

The poem dates from 1896[2] when it was written by Hopgood to make fun of organisations.

[3] Langmaid was the official war artist to the Commander-in-Chief Mediterranean Fleet from 1941 to 1943.