Roland Dening was born in Meerut on 13 September 1888, the son of Lt‑General Sir Lewis Dening and Beatrice Catherine Scott. He was educated at Wellington College and then attended the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich, to train as an artillery officer. He served throughout the First World War, including in France where he was present at Neuve Chapelle in March 1915 and witnessed the effects of poison gas. In his diaries, now held at the Imperial War Museum, he described the German use of gas as “unsporting”. He was awarded the Military Cross during the war and later served in Palestine and Syria.
After the war Dening was promoted to captain and, on 1 June 1934, was appointed to command the amalgamated 19th King George’s Own Lancers. In 1935 he travelled to London with the King’s Indian Orderly Officers. He was appointed Colonel of the 19th in 1945.
Dening married Clare de Burgh Garratt on 4 January 1917 at Wadhurst in Sussex. They had three children: Richard, born 4 October 1917; Maeve, born 2 September 1920; and Lorna, born 7 January 1922. The family lived at Tipton Lodge, Tipton St John, Devon. Major‑General Roland Dening died on 9 March 1978 at the age of 89.
Service Record
1907 Commissioned into the Royal Artillery
1910 Lieutenant, 18 March, 18th KGO Lancers
1915 Captain, 1 September, 18th KGO Lancers
1930 Brevet Lieutenant‑Colonel, 1 July
1931 Assistant Commandant, Equitation School, India, 29 February
1932 Commandant, Equitation School, India, 1 March
1933 Lieutenant‑Colonel, 18 December
1934 Commanding Officer, 19th KGO Lancers, 1 June
1935 In charge of King’s Indian Orderly Officers
1936 Colonel, 1 October (back‑dated to 1 July 1933)
1936 General Staff Officer 1, Peshawar District, 1 October
1938 Temporary Brigadier, commanding Jullundur Brigade, 18 May
1940 Acting Major‑General, commanding Peshawar District, 12 November
1940 Major‑General, 26 December (back‑dated to 22 April 1940)
1944 Retired
1945 Colonel of the 19th KGO Lancers
1978 Died 9 March
