Historical information

Date of birth 27th April 1893 Born at Spring Hill – Kyneton

Parents – Thomas and Mary Elizabeth nee Coates Lang.

The family lived in High Street Melton 1896. He started his schooling at Melton State School in Nov 1897. Mr Lang was the Head Teacher from 1896 – 1917.

Horace enlisted on the 29th March 1915

24th Battalion D Company and sailed on the Euripides on the 8th May to Egypt.

They landed on Gallipoli in early September returning to Egypt at the end of the year.

In April on 1916 Horace and his brother Thomas had an opportunity to meet for a few hours before he moved onto France.

He received the military medal in 1916

“For conspicuous gallantry in constructing and holding an advanced bombing post near Flers on 18/19 November within close range of the enemy. The garrison had to remain motionless throughout the day but Corpl. Lang refused to be relieved until his company left the trenches, setting a most encouraging example of endurance.”

In May 1917 the Battalion was near Arras – Bullecourt. On 3rd May he was last seen alive carrying a Lewis Gun, and wounded making his way to the casualty station according to witnesses reporting to the court of enquiry.

The family, in Melton had a first heard that he had been wounded, or was a prisoner. My grandmother Jessie Barrie and the Lang family went to Port Melbourne as the troop ships arrived hoping they would find someone who might know of his fate.

AWM records and Red Cross files reveal the extent of the efforts that family and friends made enquiring about his fate.

In December 1917 he was declared Killed in Action on May 3rd at Bullecourt where he is commemorated.

Physical description

Horace Lang postcard

Inscriptions & markings

Rear: Dear Jessie & All, I am in the pink not doing to bad. Haven't had any letters from you for some time. Hope you haven't forgotte me. Don't be so long nest time. Letter later from your loving bro Horace. (PS) Photo is very crook. (Front: Yours Horace, France 28/2/17)