Corporal Donald Bennett Lane

Donald Bennett Lane was born on 15 January 1893 in Brisbane, Queensland, to parents William and Annie Lane.

William Lane was from Bristol, England, and Annie from Edinburgh, Scotland. William was working in journalism across Canada and the United States of America when he met Annie, and the two married in Michigan, USA, in July 1883. William and Annie moved to Australia on 29 June 1885 to join William's brothers in Queensland.

William Lane was a prominent member of the early trade and labour movements in Australia and his socialist ideals inspired him to create a socialist utopia outside of Australia. Paraguay was in need of young men, after suffering great losses in the Paraguayan War, an agreement was reached between Paraguay and Lane to establish the New Australia Colony.

The Lane family and other settlers embarked for Paraguay in July 1893 on board the Royal Tar. The New Australia Colony faced many issues and by 1894 had split into two colonies, New Australia and Cosme. The Lane family left Paraguay in 1899, initially returning to Australia before moving to New Zealand.

Donald Lane attended Auckland Technical Grammar School and Lincoln College in New Zealand. He was a member of the Cadet Corps and an all-round athlete competing in football, long distance running, swimming, steeplechase, and boxing. After finishing school he worked as a surveyor with Messrs Thomson and Farrer in Hamilton, New Zealand.

Donald Lane enlisted for service with the New Zealand Expeditionary Force at the outbreak of the war. He was promoted to Corporal before embarking in October 1914. Corporal Lane was killed on the first day of the Gallipoli campaign on 25 April 1915.