Herbert Edwin Lake
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
Lake's father Francis, born in 1862 in Nottingham, worked as a railway clerk in London, Doncaster and Grantham before returning to his home city with his wife Annie and only son Herbert Edwin. The family lived at 8, Manor Villas, Sneinton Hollows before moving to 5 Belvoir Terrace, Sneinton Dale (both Nottingham).
Herbert Lake served initially with the Sherwood Foresters before transferring to 13th Battalion Gloucestershire Regiment, a pioneer unit. In early March 1918, the battalion was engaged in wiring and trench repair near Beaumetz but was moved further south in anticipation of Kaiserslacht. On March 21st, the unit waited as part of Gough’s 5th Army defending thirty miles of France between the Flesquieres Salient and La Fere. Initially in reserve on March 21st, 39th Division was moved up around 4pm, 13th Glosters to Templeux La Fosse, where they began wiring with other troops the line from Longavesnes to Saulcourt. On March 22nd the 13th began an exhausting nine day withdrawal that was to lead almost to the walls of Amiens, an at times ferocious struggle which killed 84 members of the battalion including Herbert Lake. No record of Lake’s wounding has survived. Between 22nd and 24th March, the battalion occupied as infantry the Green Line east of Templeux La Fosse and fought a rear guard action retiring through Peronne and Clery taking up a position near Herbecourt. Fifty (out of 84 for the month) men from the 13th were killed in the course of this long trek across open ground so there is a strong chance that Lake was also hit during this part of the retreat which ended only when the battalion was relieved at 1 am (on March 25th) and marched to Cappy. Although only eight men from the 13th died in action between 26th and 28th March, Lake may have been wounded on 26th when the unit fought another rear guard action or on 27th when, after retiring under orders, it reformed, counter-attacked retaking the ridge Morcourt-Proyart which was held all night until practically surrounded or on 28th when, near Marcelcave they were heavily attacked twice but drove off the enemy, killing many. Lake died in hospital at Rouen on Easter Monday, April 1st. Source: Britannia Calls: Nottingham schools and the push for Great War victory by David Nunn
Nottingham Evening Post notice (abridged), 3 April 1918: 'Lake. Died of wounds in hospital April 1st, Private Herbert E Lake, Gloucester Regiment, age 20, only child of Francis A Lake, 5 Belvoir Terrace, Sneinton Dale.'
