George William Lakin
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
George William was born in 1897 in Gotham and was the son of John a cowman on a farm and Caroline Lakin, née Maltby, they resided at Red Hill, Ratcliffe on Soar. His father was born in 1869 in Shepshed, Leicestershire , his mother Caroline Maltby was born in 1873 in Gotham, they had the following chindren George William b1897 Gotham, John Henry b1898 Radcliffe on Soar, May Elizabeth b1900 Radcliffe on Soar, and Hilda b1907 Radcliffe on Soar. In the 1911 census the family are living at Radcliffe on Soar and are shown as John 47 yrs a cowman on the farm he is living with his wife Caroline 38 yrs and their children George William 14 yrs a helper on the farm, John Henry 13 yrs a scholar, Mary Elizabeth 11 yrs a scholar and Hilda 4 yrs.
Private George William Lakin, enlisted in Nottingham and served with 11th Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Nottinghamshire & Derbyshire) Regiment, He died of wounds in hospital at 12th casualty clearing station and is buried in Hazebrouck Communal Cemetery (grave ref. I.E17)
Nottingham Post notice (abridged), 16 May 1917: 'Lakin. Died of wounds in hospital, April 28th 1917, Private George W Lakin, Sherwood Foresters, aged 20. Mother, father, brother, sisters.' Personal inscription on CWGC headstone: 'Gone but not forgotten. From father, mother, sisters and brother.' In memoriam published in the Nottingham Evening Post on 29th April 1918:- “LAKIN. – In ever loving memory of our dear son, Pte. George William Lakin, of Red Hill, Ratcliffe-on-Soar, died of wounds in France, April 28th, 1917. A loving son, a faithful friend, one of the best that God could send; 'twas hard we could not see his face, or deck with flowers his resting place; and only those who have lost can tell, the pain at not saying a last farewell; we pray that heaven's gates be opened wide, for those who for our cause have died; but the hardest time is yet to come, when the heroes all return, there will still be one that's sadly missed, that's the face of our dear son. – From his sorrowing father and mother. “LAKIN. – In loving memory of my dear brother, Pte. George William Lakin, died of wounds in France, April 28th, 1917. A soldier's grave, a touching thing, where loving hands no flowers can bring; but God in his loving care, will guard out loved one lying there. – From his loving sisters May and Hilda. “LAKIN. – In loving memory of my dear brother, Pte. George William Lakin, died of wounds in France, April 28th, 1917. A loving brother, true and kind, he was to me in heart and mind, his memory is as dear to-day, as in the hour he passed away. – From loving brother Harry.” Above in memoriam courtesy of Jim Grundy and his facebook pages Small Town Great War Hucknall 1914-1918
