Launcelot Cecil Agnew John LAKE

Launcelot ‘Cecil’ Lake was born on 11 February 1888 in Yackandandah, Victoria. His parents were John and Wilhelmina (née Dyring) Lake. He attended Scotch in 1906.

Cecil was a driver and hotel manager when he enlisted on 6 December 1915 at Melbourne. He served in the 59th Battalion with the rank of Private. His Regimental Number was 1712.

Cecil died on 19 July 1916 at Fleurbaix (Fromelles). He was 28 years of age.

Service record

Cecil (‘Cec’) Lake was just 5 ft 5 ¾ inches tall, though by the time he enlisted the minimum height was only 5ft 2in. After allocation as a reinforcement to various units, he joined the 59th Battalion in May 1916, a month after sailing from Melbourne for Egypt. He landed with his battalion at Marseille, France on 29 June 1916, and within a month was dead. He was initially reported missing at Fleurbaix (Fromelles) on 19 July 1916, but in September was pronounced killed in action.

The Scotch Collegian of December 1916 reported him as killed at Pozieres, a battle often conflated at the time with Fromelles. It noted too that ‘We have received no detailed account of the manner in which he met his death.’ It appears that no such account exists, and that Cecil fell unnoticed among the thousands killed and wounded that day.

His loss was sorely felt at home, as an article in the South Gippsland Shire Echo attests (see below).

Cecil Lake has no known grave but is commemorated at V.C. Corner Australian Cemetery Memorial, Fromelles, France.

Photographs and Documents:

From South Gippsland Shire Echo, 8 September 1916

Sources:

1. Australian War Memorial – Roll of Honour and Red Cross Wounded and Missing file
2. Mishura Scotch Database
3. National Archives of Australia – B2455, LAKE CECIL LANCELOT
4. Scotch Collegian 1916
5. South Gippsland Shire Echo, 8 September 1916 - http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/154665646?searchTerm=cecil lake&searchLimits=
6. The AIF Project - https://www.aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=168944