WILLIAM LAKE

Private 19972

William Lake was born on 14 November 1896 in Newton Ferrers, and baptised in Holy Cross Church on 17 January 1897. He was the third son of William Cawse Lake, a labourer, and Elizabeth Ann Lake, who lived with their large family in School Cottage at the top of Newton Hill. The school register shows him attending between 20 November 1899 and 5 February 1904 (Roll No. 387).

He enlisted at Plymouth into the 5^th (Service) Battalion, The Dorsetshire Regiment. The battalion had formed up at the beginning of the war, and moved to France early in 1915. It became part of 34^th Brigade in the 11^th (Northern) Division. As part of The 5^th Army, the division was engaged in the Battle of Broodseinde, a phase in the Third Battle Ypres (Passchendaele). This was the last attack before the weather broke and the ground became impossibly water-logged. 5 Dorset’s were specially detailed to deal with counter-attacks in the area of Poelcappelle. On the evening of 5 October, 5 Dorset’s moved forward to relieve the Manchester’s in the front line. Both the front line and support lines were nothing more than consolidated shell holes. Throughout the next day the battalion was considerably harassed by enemy artillery and sniper fire, and there were a number of casualties. One these was Private William Lake, killed in action on 6 October 1917.

He is remembered with honour at the Tyne Cot Memorial (Panel 92)

And on the family memorial stone in Holy Cross churchyard.

IN

LOVING MEMORY OF

WILLIAM

THE THIRD LOVED SON OF

W & E LAKE

WHO WAS KILLED IN ACTION OCT 6^TH 1917, AGED 20 YEARS

HE DIED FOR HOME AND COUNTRY

LORD GRANT HIM ETERNAL REST.

ALSO IN SACRED MEMORY OF

HIS LITTLE BROTHERS AND SISTERS

SUNBEAMS FOR JESUS

This famous photograph was taken near Pilkem Ridge

(see map above)