Name
Reginald Lake
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Machin Gun Corps
77th
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Pirton School Memorial
Biography
Reginald 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 June 22nd 1895 to George and Emma Lake (née Parkins). He would have been nineteen at the outbreak of war. In all it would appear that four brothers served and survived – refer to Charles Lake for more family details.
In 1911, Reginald was still living in the family home near Burge End and working as a farm labourer on one of the local farms. The Hertfordshire Express of October 17th, 1914 reports him as being present, on October 3rd, when the ‘infamous fracas’ took place in Pirton, which led to the headline ‘War Against Special Constables.’
He enlisted in Hitchin on December 19th 1915, aged twenty. At that time he was working as a blacksmith’s stoker and unmarried. He was not mobilised until almost a year later, December 2nd 1916 and, during March 1917, he was transferred to the Machine Gun Corps (MGC) as Private 88190.
Reginald had leave, probably embarkation leave, in August 1917; he was a day late returning and lost a day’s pay as punishment. He left Southampton for Salonika on September 13th 1917, arriving on October 11th and then joined the 78th MGC. He remained in Salonika for the rest of the war, transferring to the 77th MGC just before leaving for home on April 21st 1919, and was demobilised in December 1919. His address, when discharged, was given as West View, Pirton, which is believed to now be 15 Shillington Road. The Absent Voters’ List of 1918 confirms this to be the same home address as his brother Joseph.
He married and his wife’s name was Lilian Grace. They are both buried in the churchyard, so it is likely that they lived in Pirton for the rest of their lives. Reginald died on November 28th 1960, aged sixty-five and his wife Lilian died on February 3rd 1961, aged sixty-one.
Additional Information
Text from the book ‘The Pride of Pirton’ by Jonty Wild, Tony French & Chris Ryan used with author's permission
Acknowledgments
Text from the book ‘The Pride of Pirton’ by Jonty Wild, Tony French & Chris Ryan used with author's permission
