Name
Donald Andrew Lane
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
09/10/1917
29
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Rifleman
307257
West Yorkshire Regiment (Prince of Wales's Own)
1st/8th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Not Yet Researched
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
TYNE COT MEMORIAL
Panel 42 to 47 and 162.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Not on the Bushey memorials
Pre War
Born in Toronto, Canada in about 1888, Donald Andrew Lane was the son of Henry Thomas and Dorothy Campbell (nee Paxton) Lane. His mother was born in 1854 and baptised on 25 June 1854 at Monk-Wearmouth, Durham. His father was born in Sunderland in about 1858. Both had emigrated to Canada and were married on 15 October 1886 at York, Ontario. At the 1891 Census, they were living in St Patricks Ward in Toronto City. The Canadian records indicates they had five sons, three of whom died in infancy.
Henry died in 1898 and Dorothy returned to England with her two children, Donald Andrew and Vivian Charles Thomas. They were recorded on the 1901 Census as visitors at 21½ Hume Street, Sunderland, the house of her parents James and Dorothy (Snr.) Paxton, and her sister, Jean Paxton. James is aged 77 and employed as a plumber. Dorothy, Donald and Vivian are aged 46, 13 and 8 years respectively.
At the 1911 Census, Donald and Vivian are still living with their grandfather, now a widower, and their aunt Jean at 21½ Hume Street. James is working as a Tinsmith, Donald as a Lead Glazier and Vivian as an Insurance Clerk. It is not known what happened to Donald’s mother, but there is an entry in the National Probate Calendar for 1943, with a Sunderland address.
Wartime Service
Donald enlisted in Sunderland at the outbreak of war as Private 427 with the 1st/7th Battalion of the Durham Light infantry and later transferred as Rifleman 6066 with the 1st/8th Battalion of the Prince of Wales's Own (West Yorkshire) Regiment and then as Private 307257 in the same battalion. He served in France from 19 April 1915 and was killed in action on 9 October 1917.
He is remembered with honour at the memorial at Tyne Cot in Belgium, panel ref 42-4 & 162, and also on Page 578 of the Canadian Virtual War Memorial.
The 'Additional Info' section of the Commonwealth War Graves record states "Son of Henry Thomas and Dorothy Campbell Lane, of The Lodge, Sparrows Herne Hall, Bushey, Herts. Enlisted at the outbreak of War in the 1st/7th Bn. Durham Light Inf. However, it has not been possible to identify any other link to Bushey and the 1943 National Probate Calendar for Dorothy Campbell Lane gives her address as 8 Eastfield Street, Sunderland and awards probate to Jean Paxton (Spinster) and Helen Margaret Nimmo widow. It may be the case that Dorothy worked as a domestic servant at Sparrows Herne Hall.
Additional Information
Dianne Payne - www.busheyworldwarone.org.uk, Jonty Wild,
Acknowledgments
Andrew Palmer
Dianne Payne - www.busheyworldwarone.org.uk, Jonty Wild
