Andrew LANG

LANG, Andrew

Service Numbers: Not yet discovered
Enlisted: Not yet discovered
Last Rank: Captain
Last Unit: No. 4 Squadron, Australian Flying Corps
Born: Corowa, New South Wales, Australia, 25 August 1888
Home Town: South Yarra, Melbourne, Victoria
Schooling: Melbourne Grammar School, Victoria, Australia
Occupation: Aviator
Died: Road accident, Camperdown, Victoria, Australia, 21 May 1924, aged 35 years
Cemetery: Not yet discovered
Memorials: Ballarat Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial
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World War 1 Service

17 Jan 1917: Involvement Lieutenant, No. 4 Squadron, Australian Flying Corps, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '1' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: RMS Omrah embarkation_ship_number: '' public_note: ''
17 Jan 1917: Involvement Captain, No. 4 Squadron, Australian Flying Corps, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '1' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: RMS Omrah embarkation_ship_number: '' public_note: ''
17 Jan 1917: Embarked Lieutenant, No. 4 Squadron, Australian Flying Corps, RMS Omrah, Melbourne
17 Jan 1917: Embarked Captain, No. 4 Squadron, Australian Flying Corps, RMS Omrah, Melbourne

"The Napier Lion"

Born 25th of AUGUST 1888 at the family property Walla Walla near Corowa NSW Australia. His farther a Doctor W, H Lang a handy-caper for the VRC and was the nephew of the author of MYTH, RITUAL, AND RELIGION Andrew Lang https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Lang. Schooled Melbourne Grammar, worked at the South Caufeild garage of C J Kellow, Victoria, raced cars for Kellows' with Harry Busteed. At one point he was the personal chauffeur of Dame Neile Melba.


Lang married Olive and lived in Park St South Yarra, Melbourne Joined the RFC in England by persuading a relative in the UK, returned to Australia in 1917 to start with the the 4th Australian Flying Corp as a Captain and sent to France. The 4th AFC was equipped with Sowith aircraft mainly the Camel. His association with Harry Hawker, Lang was in contact from his time working at Kellows and his involvement in racing and his time with the RFC and AFC. In 1919 Captain Lang made an attempt on the Alitude record of 30,500 feet (9302.5 Meters) passing out and recovering just before reaching the ground. The aircraft he flew was a De Haviland with a Napier Lion Engine. Lang's involvement in Motor racing again and known as the "Napier Lion" the name he used in his motor articles in the Sydney Sun. On his returned after the war he not only became a columist but took up motor racing again. Captain Andrew Lang was killed in May 1923 in an accident survived by his wife and daughter.

http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/result?l-usertag=Lang&q=

http://1000aircraftphotos.com/Contributions/SmithGaryL/8726.htm

http://www.theaerodrome.com/forum/aircraft/2029-dh9-absolute-ceiling.html
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/57386164?searchTerm=Capt.%20Andrew%20Lang%20&searchLimits=
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/67141570?searchTerm=Capt.%20Andrew%20Lang%20&searchLimits=
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/63761884?searchTerm=Capt.%20%22Andrew%20Lang%22%20&searchLimits=l-decade=191#reloadOnBack

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Biography contributed by Stephen Brooks

Lang was born at the family property Walla Walla near Corowa NSW Australia. His father was a Doctor W. H. Lang who was the handicapper for the Victorian Racing Club. He attended Melbourne Grammar, and worked at the South Caulfield garage of C. J. Kellow, Victoria, and raced cars for Kellows' with Harry Busteed. At one point he was the personal chauffeur of Dame Nellie Melba.

Lang married Olive and lived in South Yarra, Melbourne. He travelled to England and joined the Royal Flying Corps in England during May 1915. He was posted to the 2nd Reserve Squadron during August 1915. During early 1916, he was coerced into going back to Australia by the NSW Government to help set a NSW Military Flying School and assist in training of pilots. After a short time, Lang was desperate to get back to England with the RFC. The only way he could do this was join the 4th Squadron Australian Flying Corps which left Australia in early 1917.

He transferred back to the Royal Flying Corps in England during August 1917. He seems to have worked mainly in area of development of experimental aircraft with the RFC. In 1919 Captain Lang made an successful attempt on the world altitude record of 30,500 feet, he and his observer passing out from lack of oxygen and recovering just before reaching the ground. The aircraft he flew was a De Haviland with a Napier Lion Engine.

Lang returned to Australia in late 1919 and renewed his involvement in motor racing again and was known as the "Napier Lion", the name he used in his motor articles in the Sydney Sun. On his return after the war, he not only became a columnist but took up motor racing again. Captain Andrew Lang was killed in May 1924 in a road accident, and was survived by his wife and daughter.

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