Lt Colonel Dr Hugh Rayner MB was a surgeon. He served exclusively with the Household Brigade: first, and at the time of the consecration of the Lodge, as Surgeon Captain and Medical Officer with the Grenadiers, the 1st and then the 3rd Bttns before transferring for the bulk of his service with the Royal Horse Guards, which saw him promoted from Captain up to Lieutenant Colonel over a period of 18 years. He retired in 1906. He returned to the Colours for the Great War, serving as MO to the 1st Life Guards.
He also travelled extensively. In both 1892 and 1898 he served as MO to the Anglo Portuguese Delimitation Commissions in East Africa, and on leave he visited South Africa with friends interested in geology and mining whilst also reporting back to the War Office on climate and potential camp locations.
He trained at Bars, taking his MRCS in 1881 and at Durham, taking both his MB and MS in 1884. He was a house surgeon at Bart’s and the Liverpool Royal Infirmary before joining the Army. He served his probation at Netley.
He was initiated into Drury Lane Lodge No 2127 and became a joining member of the Lodge of Good Report No 136 and the Rahere Lodge No 2546.