Derek Lang

Sir Derek Lang
Born	7 October 1913
Died	7 April 2001
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	British Army
Rank	Lieutenant General
Commands held	5th Bn Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders 153rd Highland 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 British Army General who commanded the Army in Scotland.

Military career

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

He served in World War II and while serving with the 51st Highland Division became a Prisoner of War but escaped.^[1] He went on to be Commanding Officer of 5th Bn 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 Commander of 153rd Highland Brigade.^[2] He was made Chief of Staff at Scottish Command in 1960 moving on to be 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 although the marriage was dissolved in 1969; then in 1969 he married E.H. Balfour who in died 1982 and in 1983 he married Maartje McQueen.^[1]

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

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h i} Obituary: Lieutenant General Sir Derek Lang The Independent, 13 April 2001
2. ^ Obituary: Lieutenant General Sir Derek Lang Daily Telegraph, 13 April 2001

Military offices
Preceded by Sir George Gordon-Lennox	GOC-in-C Scottish Command 1966–1969	Succeeded by Sir Henry Leask

Persondata
Name	Lang, Derek
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	7 October 1913
Place of birth
Date of death	7 April 2001
Place of death