THE FAMILY AT WAR
No it's not about family arguments, although there have been a few of those over the years, this is about the brave family members who were caught up fighting for the country or survival during times of conflict.
ALBERT ERNEST LAKE
BOER WAR
1899 - 1902
My Grand Uncle
Albert was a driver with the Mounted Infantry under General French in the Boer War. This was the second Boer War the first being in 1880/81. The British Empire were fighting the Boer Republics of Orange Free State & Transvaal Republic in South Africa & Swaziland. Total military casualties were 7,894 killed, 13,250 died from disease, 22,828 wounded & 934 missing.
WILFRED CHRISTOPHER LAKE
WORLD WAR 1
1914 - 1918
My 3rd Cousin once removed
Wilfred enlisted in 1914 having previously been a member of the Guernsey Militia. He was appointed a driver with the Royal Field Artillery 9th Division working n France & Flanders during the war.
He emigrated to Canada in 1925 with his wife Mary with whom the had 13 children. He died in Hamilton Ontario in 1979 having lived to the proud age of 90.
COLONEL JOHN H H COOMBES
JITRA MALAYSIA
WORLD WAR 2
1939 - 1945
My 1st Cousin once removed
Col. John Coombes fought at the Battle of Jitra Malaysia in Dec 1941 and was captured and taken prisoner by the Japanese Forces.
He was taken to Changi prisoner of War Camp in Singapore and later moved to a camp at Ban Pong in Thailand and forced to work on the Burma Railway later known as the Death railway. Of 60,000 allied POW's who were forced to work, 12,400 died as a direct result of the project. Of 180,000 asian civilians forced to work, 90,000 died. After the war John Coombes wrote a book about his experinces titled "The Banpong Express"
ALICE AMELIA LAKE in WW2
UNDER GERMAN
OCCUPATION
My Grand Aunt
Alice along with George, her husband and the entire population of the Channel Islands found themselves under Nazi Occupation. Giving up the islands was a massive sacrifice but it was felt they were un defendable.
Every resident on the islands had to complete a registration form and many tried to confuse the
German Authorities by supplying false information. It was a very hard difficult 5 years.