BENEDICTINE MILITARY CHAPLAINS IN THE FIRST WORLD WAR - James H. Hagerty

In a follow up to this article: http://thescribblerdotbiz.blogspot.co.uk/2015/10/the-unsung-of-great-war-battalion.html I have located some additional information on the stout Lane-Fox, the padre to the London Irish Rifles.

From the above mentioned book:

"Dom John Lane-Fox of Fort Augustus was another Benedictine to be commissioned early in the war. Having received his temporary commission in September 1914 he served with the 1st London Irish of the 47th Division and was with them as they kicked a football across no-man's-land in their assault on German positions during the Battle of Loos in 1915. For his ministrations on the battlefield Fr Lane-Fox was recommended for the Military Cross but an accident on March 3,1916, placed the award in jeopardy. During grenade practice a bomb exploded in Lane-Fox's hand seriously wounding him and killing Lord Desmond Fitzgerald. General Cecil Pereria wrote immediately to Mgr Bidwell, Cardinal Bourne's secretary, informing him of the incident and of Lane-Fox's anxiety that he would not be able to celebrate Mass again due to the injuries to ‘his right eye and the fingers of his right hand.' He asked, on Lane-Fox's behalf, for an assurance that the injured priest would not be prevented from saying Mass. Pereria pointed out that he received nothing but the best accounts of Fr Lane-Fox and that he would be ‘very much missed by the men.' Bidwell was able to reassure Lane-Fox, via Pereria, that he could get permission to officiate when he had recovered. Mgr Keatinge, conscious as he was of the chaplains' reputation and the importance of them receiving their fair share of decorations, described the incident as ‘fooling around with bombs.' Eventually, Fr Lane-Fox received the award and was later mentioned in despatches. He was also recommended for the French Medailie Militaire for his ‘remarkably gallant and efficient' work for French civilians, in 1918 he was promoted to temporary Chaplain 2nd Class with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, to be Senior Catholic Chaplain to the 47th Division."

I understand from another source he lost an eye and some fingers.

As I said before, unsung heroes.