Name
Reginald St George Lake
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
17/11/1916
28
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Lieutenant
Oxford & Bucks Light Infantry
4th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
MARTINPUICH BRITISH CEMETERY
Row D, Grave 14.
France
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Watford Borough Roll of Honour,
St Mary's Parish Church Memorial, Watford,
St Andrew's Church Memorial, Watford,
Berkhamsted Collegiate School Memorial
Pre War
Born in Watford on 4 December 1887 and baptised on 28 January 1888 at St Mary’s, Watford. Reginald St George Lake was one of eight children, and the second son, born to Reginald John and Mary Beatrice (nee Green) Lake, and the grandson of George Lake of Bushey House in Bushey High Street. Reginald attended Berkhamsted School, Herts, until 1899. He attended Berkhamsted School, Herts, until 1905.
His parents were married 1879 in the Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, district. His father died in Watford on 28 February 1923 and was buried on 3 March in Vicarage Road Cemetery, Watford. His mother died in Watford on 5 February 1940, aged 81, and was buried on 8 February, also in Vicarage Road Cemetery.
At the 1891 Census the family was living at Beodriceworth in Alexandra Road, Watford. Reginald (Snr.) and Mary had seven children: John Stephen Raymond, Ellen Mary Beatrice, Edith Carleton, Margaretta Eunice, Beatrice Victoria, Reginald St George, Katherine Madeline and Michael Neville. Their birthplaces are given as Highbury, London for Reginald (Snr.), Bury St Edmunds for Mary, and Watford for all of the children. Their ages are 44, 32, 9, 7, 7, 5, 4, 3, 1 and 6 months respectively. Reginald (Snr.) is working as a Barrister and Printer and the family has three servants, a nurse, an under-nurse and a cook.
At the 1901 Census, the family is still living at Beodriceworth, with all of the children except for John and Edith. There is an entry for Reginald in the 1908 Kelly’s Diectory for Hertfordshire, giving his address at Beodricesworth. [Note: The Ancestry record gives the family name as Zake]
At the 1911 Census, Beodriceworth is now recorded as a 14-room property. Seven of the children are still present, with the only exception being Margaretta, and are all recorded as single. Margaretta is later listed in the 1939 Census as being incapacitated. The nurse, Ellen Bloxham, is now 54 and still living with the family. Reginald (Snr.) is working as a barrister, Reginald as a banker and his brother, John, is a stockbroker.
Wartime Service
Reginald attested on 5 August 1914 at Lincoln’s Inn, London, in the Territorial Force for 4-years of home service. His attestation states he was a bank clerk with Messrs Child & Co, Fleet Street, London E.C., is aged 26 and is 5’9″ tall. He was already serving in the 4th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment (Militia) and was Private 998 in the Inns of Court Officer Training Corps.
He was discharged to take up his appointment to a commission as a Lieutenant with the 4th Battalion of the Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry. He served at Home from 5 August 1914 to 8 March 1915, before serving on the Western Front where he was killed in action, aged 28, on 17 November 1916. He is buried at Martinpuich British Cemetery in France. He was entitled to the Victory, British War and 1914-15 Star medals, his qualifying date being May 1915.
His name and that of his brother John Stephen Raymond Lake, who was also killed in action in June 1916, are on the side of their grandfather’s grave in Bushey churchyard. There is also a plaque in St Mary’s Parish Church which commemorates Reginald and his brother.
There are articles about Reginald in the West Herts and Watford Observer on 15 August 1914, on 5 June 1915, on 20 May 1916, and on 25 November 1916, including a Death announcement.
The National Probate Calendar for 1917 has an entry for Reginald, leaving effects of £2,897 9s. 1d. and granting administration to his father.
Additional Information
Dianne Payne - www.busheyworldwarone.org.uk, Jonty Wild, Sue Carter (Research) and Watford Museum (ROH on line via www.ourwatfordhistory.org.uk)
Acknowledgments
Andrew Palmer
Sue Carter (Research) and Watford Museum (ROH on line via www.ourwatfordhistory.org.uk)
