Reginald Williams Lane

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Sergeant Reginald Williams Lane

504846, Royal Air Force

Reginald William, sometimes Williams, Lane was born in late 1893 in the Gloucester area. It is likely that Reginald William Lane was the son of Bristol brick manufacturer Fred Lane and his wife, Alice, who in 1901 were living with their four children at Two Mile Hill, Bristol.

Reginald William Lane, an insurance agent, was called up for WW1 service on the 13th January 1917 at Bristol and served with the Royal Field Artillery as a gunner. He was 23 years and 3 months of age, 126lbs, 5’ 9” tall with a home address of Fair Haven, Lodge Road, Bristol and his next kin was given as his father, Fred Lane. He embarked for France on 23rd April 1917 as a reinforcement and was admitted to hospital in August 1917 suffering a contusion of the leg, a trivial wound, according to the authorities, which would not interfere with his future efficiency as a soldier. Nonetheless he was transferred back to Blighty and was treated for five weeks in Bristol General Hospital before returning to France by late October 1917. On 9th November 1919 he was admitted to a field hospital with a shoulder wound and not discharged until the 4th February 1919. He returned to England in early March 1919 was demobilised on the 10th March 1919 and transferred to Z Reserve. He was awarded the British and the Victory medals for his WWI service in France. His address in 1921 was Fair Haven, Lodge Road, Two Mile Hills, Bristol.

Reginald William Lane of Highfield House, South Street, Ossett died on the 21st October 1943 on war service, aged 48 years and is buried at Llantwit Major Cemetery, Glamorgan, Wales, Section C, Grave 47. Most of the airmen buried here came from the large R.A.F. station at St. Athan near Barry and some from Llandow R.A.F. station near Cowbridge. Many of them were killed in flying accidents while training.

He is described by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission as a father and the husband of Isabelle Madeleine Lane of Ossett. Administration was granted at Wakefield on the 29th June 1944 to Isabelle Madeleine Lane, widow. Effects were £226 11s 5d.

Isabelle Madeleine Lane of 9, Paling Court, Towngate, Ossett died on the 15th February 1984 and probate was granted to unspecified persons at Leeds on 7th March 1984. Her effects did not exceed £40,000. Isabelle Madeleine was born on the 11th August 1899, but no record has been discovered of her birth or her marriage to Reginald W. Lane or of the couple having any children.

In September 1939 Isabelle M. Lister, a married woman, was a visitor at the Mount Hotel, Clarendon Road, Leeds. The 1939 Register records her entry adjacent to Tom Lister, born 10th May 1887, Indian (illegible) civil servant. The transcript records all of the residents as being in the Roman Catholic Home for Aged Poor, Belle Vue Road, Leeds, but this is the property adjacent to the Mount Hotel. An Isabelle M (Mary) Tootall married Tom Lister of the Indian Civil Service on the 29th April 1922 at Blackpool and Isabelle Mary had the same date of birth, 11th August 1899 as Isabelle Madeleine. This is likely to be the same lady.

References:

1. Commonwealth War Graves Commission web site