沈光漢,早年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)曾入粵(yue)軍(jun)第(di)(di)(di)一(yi)(yi)師(shi)(shi)軍(jun)官補習訓練班受訓。民(min)(min)國(guo)(guo)(guo)十(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)四年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(1925)由蔡(cai)(cai)廷鍇(kai)推薦,任(ren)(ren)粵(yue)軍(jun)第(di)(di)(di)一(yi)(yi)師(shi)(shi)第(di)(di)(di)一(yi)(yi)旅(lv)第(di)(di)(di)二(er)(er)團(tuan)(團(tuan)長(chang)(chang)(chang)蔣(jiang)光鼐)第(di)(di)(di)三(san)(san)(san)營(ying)(營(ying)長(chang)(chang)(chang)黃質勝)上(shang)尉營(ying)副。民(min)(min)國(guo)(guo)(guo)十(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)六(liu)(liu)(liu)年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(1927)秋任(ren)(ren)第(di)(di)(di)十(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)師(shi)(shi)二(er)(er)十(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)八(ba)團(tuan)代理團(tuan)長(chang)(chang)(chang)。民(min)(min)國(guo)(guo)(guo)十(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)八(ba)年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(1929)年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)三(san)(san)(san)月(yue)(yue),任(ren)(ren)廣東編遣區獨立第(di)(di)(di)二(er)(er)旅(lv)(旅(lv)長(chang)(chang)(chang)蔡(cai)(cai)廷鍇(kai))上(shang)校副旅(lv)長(chang)(chang)(chang)兼第(di)(di)(di)一(yi)(yi)團(tuan)團(tuan)長(chang)(chang)(chang)(該(gai)團(tuan)系原(yuan)第(di)(di)(di)十(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)師(shi)(shi)二(er)(er)十(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)八(ba)團(tuan)改編)。是(shi)年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)秋,任(ren)(ren)第(di)(di)(di)六(liu)(liu)(liu)十(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)師(shi)(shi)(由獨二(er)(er)旅(lv)擴建的(de))一(yi)(yi)一(yi)(yi)九(jiu)旅(lv)少(shao)將旅(lv)長(chang)(chang)(chang)。民(min)(min)國(guo)(guo)(guo)十(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)九(jiu)年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(1930)升(sheng)十(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)九(jiu)路軍(jun)六(liu)(liu)(liu)十(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)師(shi)(shi)副師(shi)(shi)長(chang)(chang)(chang)(師(shi)(shi)長(chang)(chang)(chang)蔡(cai)(cai)廷鍇(kai))。民(min)(min)國(guo)(guo)(guo)二(er)(er)十(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(1931)獲四等寶鼎勛章。是(shi)年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)六(liu)(liu)(liu)月(yue)(yue)升(sheng)第(di)(di)(di)六(liu)(liu)(liu)十(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)師(shi)(shi)中(zhong)將師(shi)(shi)長(chang)(chang)(chang)。民(min)(min)國(guo)(guo)(guo)二(er)(er)十(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)一(yi)(yi)年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(1932)十(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)月(yue)(yue),因“一(yi)(yi)·二(er)(er)八(ba)”淞滬抗日(ri)有功,獲青天白日(ri)勛章。民(min)(min)國(guo)(guo)(guo)二(er)(er)十(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)二(er)(er)年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(1933)十(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)一(yi)(yi)月(yue)(yue)“閩變(bian)”爆發,任(ren)(ren)福(fu)建人民(min)(min)革命軍(jun)第(di)(di)(di)一(yi)(yi)方(fang)面軍(jun)第(di)(di)(di)一(yi)(yi)軍(jun)軍(jun)長(chang)(chang)(chang)(總司令蔡(cai)(cai)廷鍇(kai))。閩變(bian)失敗后回住香港。民(min)(min)國(guo)(guo)(guo)二(er)(er)十(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)六(liu)(liu)(liu)年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(1937)抗戰軍(jun)興,出任(ren)(ren)軍(jun)事參議(yi)員(yuan)中(zhong)將參議(yi),很少(shao)在軍(jun)界活動。三(san)(san)(san)十(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)五(wu)年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(1946)以后被(bei)選為第(di)(di)(di)一(yi)(yi)屆國(guo)(guo)(guo)民(min)(min)大會代表,也曾任(ren)(ren)私立德(de)業小學校長(chang)(chang)(chang)。1972年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)11月(yue)(yue)29日(ri)病逝(shi)于香港,終(zhong)年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)八(ba)十(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)五(wu)歲。
1930年,沈(shen)光漢將(jiang)軍任十九路(lu)軍六(liu)十師副師長(師長蔡(cai)廷鍇(kai))。
1931年,沈光漢(han)率所(suo)(suo)部第六十(shi)師駐防蘇(su)州(zhou)、常州(zhou)一帶。1931年1月(yue)28日,日軍(jun)(jun)進攻上(shang)海(hai),蔡廷鍇即令沈率部開赴上(shang)海(hai)抗(kang)(kang)戰(zhan)。1月(yue)30日,沈部到達上(shang)海(hai)南翔、真茹等地待命。2月(yue)1日,接替(ti)駐在閘北、虹(hong)口(kou)及八(ba)(ba)(ba)字橋(qiao)(qiao)等處(chu)七十(shi)八(ba)(ba)(ba)師的(de)防務(wu)。原七十(shi)八(ba)(ba)(ba)師翁照垣旅劃歸沈光漢(han)指(zhi)揮,沈師遂成為抗(kang)(kang)戰(zhan)主力(li)。七十(shi)八(ba)(ba)(ba)、六十(shi)一師為總預備隊(dui)。2月(yue)3日始,日軍(jun)(jun)相繼向(xiang)吳淞、閘北及江灣進犯,沈光漢(han)率所(suo)(suo)部及配屬部隊(dui)與之浴血戰(zhan)斗30多(duo)天,雖敵軍(jun)(jun)數倍(bei)于(yu)己,但沈師陣地始終屹立(li)不動。尤其八(ba)(ba)(ba)字橋(qiao)(qiao)陣地,地處(chu)要沖,敵軍(jun)(jun)在飛機、大炮、坦(tan)克(ke)的(de)配合下,輪番攻擊,沈率部堅決抵(di)抗(kang)(kang),僅2月(yue)7日一天,就殲日軍(jun)(jun)千余人,擊燒日軍(jun)(jun)前敵指(zhi)揮雨(yu)田大佐。