Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Six: Hon. Lieutenant-Colonel A. H. Lane, Army Veterinary Corps, late Bimbashi, Egyptian Army

Queen’s Sudan 1896-98 (Vt. Lt. Bimb. A. H. Lane, V.D. E.A.); Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 2 clasps, Cape Colony, Wittebergen (Vet. Lieut. A. H. Lane, A.V.D.); King’s South Africa, 2 clasps, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 (Vet. Capt. A. H. Lane, A.V.D.); British War and Victory Medals, M.I.D. oak leaf (Lt. Col. A. H. Lane); Khedive’s Sudan 1896-1908, no clasp, unnamed as issued, generally good very fine (6) £1000-1200

Arthur Henry Lane was born in Hull, Yorkshire, in May 1868 and, having qualified as a Member of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, entered the Army Veterinary Department as a Lieutenant in November 1893. Seconded to the Egyptian Army in the period June 1894 to April 1897, he was appointed to the rank of Bimbashi and was present in the expedition to Dongola, including the action on 19 September 1896 (Queen’s Medal; Khedive’s Medal).

Lane next witnessed active service in South Africa in 1899-1902, where he served as Senior Veterinary Officer in 8th Division and was present in the actions at Biddulphsberg and Wittebergen (Queen’s Medal & 2 clasps; King’s Medal & 2 clasps). And much of his work during the conflict is described in the Boer War supplement to the Veterinary Record - copies included. Among other achievements, he was credited with setting up the first Mobile Veterinary Detachment:

‘Lieutenant A. H. Lane was permitted by General Rundle to arrange measures for sweeping up the animal wastage left in the track of a force, and a Mobile Veterinary Detachment resulted, which marched in the rear of the column, collected and took along with it all the horses which had been abandoned by the force, and destroyed the unfit. When later in the operations it was found that leaving the burgher his horses provided him with the means of resistance, orders were given to clear the farms of stock. The scope of this detachment then widened, and it was directed to include the collection of horses from the various farms, so that a man might be provided with a fresh mount before his own became past recovery. The value of this is self-evident, and before long other column commanders adopted it.’

Lane also had charge of the Remount Depot at Harrismith, ‘where his previous experience in handling large bodies of horses in the U.S.A. while ranching proved of the greatest utility’, and carried out an inspection of all cattle in the Mafeking area following a report that some of them were infected with rinderpest. He was able to give the all clear and the authorities in Bulawayo admitted that they had made a misdiagnosis.

Advanced to Captain in March 1902, he returned to the U.K. in the summer of 1903, and remained employed on the home establishment until being placed on retired pay as a Major in December 1913. Recalled on the advent of hostilities in August 1914, he was appointed a Veterinary Officer in the Lowland Division, and went out to France in June 1916, where he served in a similar capacity in 60th Division and won a mention in despatches (London Gazette 4 January 1917, refers). Owing to ill-health contracted on active service, however, he relinquished his commission in June 1917, and was granted the honorary rank of Lieutenant-Colonel. Lane died in June 1936; sold with copied service record and other research.