Name
Ralph Joseph, (Joseph) Lake
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Air Mechanic
85419
Royal Air Force
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Pirton School Memorial
Biography
Joseph appears on the School War Memorial, confirming that he attended the school. Parish records suggest only one man of this name who could have served, and he was born on November 17th 1889 to George and Emma Lake (née Parkins). He would have been twenty-three at the outbreak of war. Ralph is recorded as Joseph in the 1891 and 1901 census and then as Ralph Joseph in 1911, so he is the right man. In all it would appear that four brothers served and survived – refer to Charles Lake for more family details.
In 1911 he was still living in the family home near Burge End and working as a carpenter. By 1918 he was recorded as 85419 A.M. (Aircraft Mechanic), Royal Air Force with his home address the same as his brother Reginald’s, West View, which is believed to be 15 Shillington Road. As a carpenter, he would probably have been involved in the maintaining and repairing of those fragile aircraft of the time.
He died on November 25th 1962, aged seventy-three, and his ashes are interred in St. Mary's Church’s Garden of Rest
Acknowledgments
Text from the book ‘The Pride of Pirton’ by Jonty Wild, Tony French & Chris Ryan used with author's permission
