Name
James Gabriel Lancaster Ranking
14 Oct 1883
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
12/07/1915
28
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Captain
Indian Political Department
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
TEHRAN WAR CEMETERY
II B 6
Iran
Headstone Inscription
No Report
UK & Other Memorials
Aldenham School Memorial, Aldenham
Pre War
James Gabriel Lancaster was born 14 Oct 1883, his Father was George Spiers Alexander Ranking, Surgeon with Indian Medical Services and Mother Elizabeth Maunsell (nee Duncan).
Educated at Tonbridge, Aldenham and Royal Military College Sandhurst.
Wartime Service
He was gazetted as 2nd Lieutenant, (unattached) in the Indian Army on 21 Jan 1903.
He then served one year with 2nd East Lancs and was posted 46th Punjabis on 23 April 1904. Promotion to Lieutenant 21 April 1905 and Captain 21 Jan 1912, he was selected as probationer Indian Political Dept 17 Dec 1908. Confirmed Political Assistant on 5 Oct 1911 he was appointed as HM Consul in Ahwaz, Iran and Assistant to Political Resident in Persian Gulf 26 April 1914.
Killed in action Bushire, Iran 12 July 1915.
On that day information having been received at the Residency that a concerted attack was to be made on the Residency that night, a reconnoitring party of 26 Sepoys and 6 Sowars under the command of Major Oliphant 96th Infantry and Capt. Ranking set out to verify the report. The cavalry party under Capt. Ranking came suddenly upon a party of enemy (Tangistanis) in a garden who opened fire at close range. The horse ridden by one of the Sowars was brought down. Capt. Ranking pulled up and dismounted to extricate the Sowar who lay pinned beneath his fallen horse. This he did, but it cost him his life, as he was shot down and killed. Major Oliphant coming to his rescue was also shot dead. The bodies of the two Officers were recovered on the following day and brought into Bushire and buried in Telegraph cemetery at Sabzabad.
The Foreign Secretary to the Government of India wrote to Lt- Col Ranking : "His Excellency desires me to say that the Political Department, of which he is the Head , have lost in your son a most keen and promising officer and one who had already done much good work for the Empire in the remote and isolated parts of Persia. “ and Major Trevor, Resident, Persian Gulf :” Your son and I went through some stormy times together in Arabistan at the beginning of the year, and then we both came here, and found things were getting pretty lively . In the circumstances I got to know your son very well and felt his loss a very great deal myself. I found him a most excellent assistant, and think that in addition to you having lost a dear son, his friends have lost a good friend and gallant gentleman. The Government has lost a very valuable Officer.”
Biography
Acknowledgments
Neil Cooper
Tony James
