Orders, Decorations and Medals

An Italian theatre M.C. group of seven awarded to Lieutenant I. D. Lange, South African Artillery, attached 6th Battalion, York and Lancaster Regiment

Military Cross, G.VI.R., the reverse dated 1945; 1939-45 Star; Africa Star; Italy Star; Defence and War Medals, with oak leaf M.I.D. emblem; Africa Service Medal, the last six all officially impressed (26018 I. D. Lange) mounted as worn, together with R.A. and S.A.A. cap badges, very fine (7) £500-600

M.C. London Gazette 13 December 1945. The following details are taken from the original recommendation: ‘Lieut. Lange was commanding a Pl throughout the Gothic Line operations and in the subsequent actions leading up to Faenza. His outstanding disregard for his personal safety and constant personal example whilst under enemy fire were an inspiration both to his platoon and company.

His bravery and personal leadership were particularly outstanding during the critical action fought on the slopes of Mount Gemmano and again on the Carpineta feature short of Cesena. In each case his platoon was deployed under intense enemy Arty and mortar fire in close contact. Lieut. Lange’s platoon succeeded in reaching its objective swiftly and invariably killed many Germans, took numbers of PW and captured much equipment.

On 8 Dec 44 Lieut. Lange was commanding a Pl in an attack on a small feature at 267224. During the attack his Coy came under heavy enemy mortar fire. By his personal example however, Lieut. Lange ensured that his Pl did not falter and in spite of several casualties pressed home his attack and captured the objective.

The next day he was ordered to capture an objective at 277236 as part of his Coy’s attack. This objective was taken without serious enemy interference; but some hours afterwards a major German attack developed, preceded by a vast Arty programme. No direct attack was made on Lieut. Lange’s Pl until that night when a force of more than 30 enemy assaulted his positions using Bazookas and MGs. Throughout this attack, Lieut. Lange by moving from post to post under heavy enemy fire, continually encouraged his men and in spite of their having been fighting for some days, he kept them in excellent fighting form. The attack was beaten off with considerable damage to the enemy. Four PW were taken, several killed and from the amount of abandoned equipment, quite obviously a considerable number wounded.

Lieut. Lange was always in the thick of the fighting and by his example as a leader ensured that throughout these months of hard fighting, his Pl always took and retained their objectives.’

Ivan Guy Lange attested at Potchefstroom on 8 November 1939, and was posted to 3rd Field Regiment, S.A.A., having seen previous volunteer service with the Transvaal Horse Artillery and the Imperial Light Horse. He saw service in East Africa, Egypt and Libya before he was seconded to the British Army in August 1943 for service with the Royal Artillery. He subsequently served with 106 Anti-Tank Regiment in Syria and Egypt, October 1943 to July 1944; was briefly attached to the Durham Light Infantry in Palestine and Italy; and posted to the 6th Battalion, York and Lancaster Regiment, seeing service in Italy, Greece and Austria from July 1944. He was mentioned in despatches and awarded the Military Cross for service in Italy with the 6th York and Lancaster Regiment.