Derek Lang

Sir Derek Lang
Born	7 October 1913
Died	7 April 2001 (aged 87)
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	British Army
Years of service	1933–1969
Rank	Lieutenant-General
Unit	Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders
Commands held	5th Battalion, Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders 153rd (Highland) Infantry Brigade Scottish Command
Battles/wars	World War II
Awards	Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath Distinguished Service Order Military Cross

Lieutenant-General Sir Derek Boileau Lang KCB DSO MC (7 October 1913 – 7 April 2001) was a senior British Army officer who commanded the Army in Scotland.

Military career

Educated at Wellington and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, Derek Lang was commissioned into the Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders in 1933.^[1]

He saw active service in the Second World War and while serving with the 51st Highland Division became a prisoner of war, but escaped.^[1] He went on to be Commanding Officer of the 5th Battalion the Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders in 1944.^[1] He was awarded the Military Cross in 1941 and the Distinguished Service Order in 1944.^[1]

In 1958 he became commanding officer of the 153rd Highland Brigade.^[2] He was made Chief of Staff at Scottish Command in 1960, moving on to a posting as Director of Army Training in 1964.^[1] He was appointed General Officer Commanding-in-Chief at Scottish Command and Governor of Edinburgh Castle in 1966 and retired from the British Army in 1969.^[1]

After retiring from the Army he was Secretary of Stirling University from 1970 to 1973.^[1]

Family

In 1942 he married Massy Dawson and together they went on to have one son and two daughters before she died in 1953; in 1953 he married A.L.S. Shields but the marriage was dissolved in 1969; then in 1969 he married E.H. Balfour who died in 1982 and in 1983 he married Maartje McQueen.^[1]

He died at Kirknewton in Midlothian on 7 April 2001.^[1]

References