Henry Marion Durand was born on 23 Feb 1876. He was the son of Rt Hon Sir Henry Mortimer Durand, ambassador to Persia in 1894 and Spain in 1900. His mother was Ella Rebe Sandys who was born in India. He entered the 9th Lancers as a 2nd Lieutenant on 13 May 1896, promoted to lieutenant on 12 Mar 1898. He served in the Boer War in the Relief of Kimberley and was present at the battles of Belmont, Enslin, Modder River and Magersfontein. He was wounded twice.
In World War One he was awarded the DSO in 1914 and later seconded to be a staff officer, but when Lt-Col Beale-Browne was promoted to command a brigade in October 1915, Lt-Col Henry Durand returned to the 9th Lancers to take command. In Jan 1916 the 9th were in the trenches at Hohenzollen Redoubt, later they were on the Somme, and in 1917 were part of the Arras offensive, followed by the battle of Cambrai. Durand commanded the regiment until 31 July 1918 when he was appointed to the staff of the 41st Division.
He was never married and died on 19 December 1954, aged 78. The photo shows Major Durand in 1908 when he reached his majority on 15 March.
