Vere Bonamy Fane

Vere Bonamy Fane
Born	(1863-06-16)16 June 1863
Died	23 May 1924(1924-05-23) (aged 60)
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	British Army British Indian Army
Years of service	1884–1888 1888–1924
Rank	Major-General
Commands held	21st Punjabis Jhelum Brigade Bannu Brigade
Awards	Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath Knight Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire Mentioned in Despatches (3) Croix de Guerre Order of the Nile (2nd class)

Major-General Sir Vere Bonamy Fane KCB KCIE (16 June 1863 – 23 May 1924)^[1] was an officer in the British Army and British Indian Army. He served in the Boxer Rebellion and First World War.

Career

Vere Fane was commissioned as a Lieutenant in the Manchester Regiment in November 1884^[2] and in March 1888 transferred to the Bengal Staff Corps of the British Indian Army.^[3] Promoted to Captain in November 1895^[4] he served on the staff of the Indian Cavalry Bridge that formed part of the China Field Force during the Boxer Rebellion.^[5][6] Mentioned in Despatches during the campaign by Lieutenant-General Sir Alfred Gaselee^[7] Fane was promoted to Major and became a brevet Lieutenant Colonel in 1903.^[8] He was further brevetted to Colonel in 1909^[9] when he was appointed Commandant (Commanding Officer) of the 21st Punjabis. Substantive promotions to Lieutenant Colonel^[10] and Colonel^[11] followed and on the outbreak of the First World War he was appointed as temporary Brigadier General commanding the Jhelum Brigade.^[12] Fane was appointed Companion of the Order of the Bath in January 1914.^[13]

In 1915 Fane was commanding officer of the Bannu Brigade on the North West Frontier and in recognition for his actions during the attack on Miranshah in March he was made a Companion of the Order of the Indian Empire.^[14][15][16] Fane was promoted to Major General on 3 September 1916,^[17] and served in the campaigns in Palestine and Mesopotamia. His service in these campaigns earned him promotion to Knight Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire,^[18] and two awards from foreign governments; the Croix de Guerre^[19] and the Order of the Nile (2nd class).^[20] He was also Mentioned in Despatches twice more, on 15 August 1917,^[21] and on 27 August 1918.^[22]

On 5 July 1918 Fane became Colonel of the 21st Punjabis (a ceremonial appointment),^[23] and in 1920 also Colonel of the Manchester Regiment.^[24] He continued to serve with the Indian Army, being a district commander in Burma. Two further honours followed, promotion to Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath in January 1921^[25] and appointment as Knight of Grace of Order of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem.^[26] At his own request he relinquished his appointment with the army in Burma in April 1924^[27] but died shortly after and was buried in Fulbeck, Lincolnshire.

References