The Soldier's Details

Surname:
Lake
First Name:
George
Rank:
Private
Regimental #:
WX17582
Company:
‘E’ Company, Special Reserve Battalion, No. 1 Platoon
Enlisted:
6.11.1941
DOB:
13.04.1921
Place of Birth:
Collie, Western Australia
Father's Name:
George Lake
Mothers's Name:
Annie Lake (nee Anderson)
Religion:
Methodist
Pre-war Occupation:
Wheeler
Memorial:
Epitaph, Labuan Memorial, Panel 18, Age 23.
Singapore:
Selarang Camp and Barracks Changi
Force:
‘E’ Force Borneo
POW#:
1782
Cause of Death:
Not Stated
Place of Death:
Sandakan, No. 1 Camp
Date of Death:
8.04.1945

General Description

He was the son of George and Ann Lake, of Collie Burn, WA. He is commemorated on the Labuan Memorial Panel 18. (Photograph copied from AWM232, items 4 and 5. Personal information from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Database.)

 

Wounded in action Bukit Timah. Admitted to Field Ambulance on 11.2.1942 with a shrapnel wound to his right thigh. Transferred to 2/10th Australian General Hospital on 6.3.1942.
19 years old  George enlisted with AIF 6 November 1941.  He had between 6 and 7 weeks training at Northam before being drafted as reinforcement for 2/4th, boarding ‘Aquitania’ anchored off Gage Roads, Fremantle on 15 January 1942. He joined E company No 1 Platoon under CO Lt Harry Green.
George was one of the few lucky men to survive the Japanese ambush at Bukit Timah of ‘E’ Company.    Only about 88 of 200 men survived.

Please read about ‘E’ Company

Sadly, George’s good fortune ran out when he was selected as a POW in Singapore with ‘E’ Force Borneo.  He died at Sandakan 8 April 1945 at the young age of 23 years.  He died of malaria (according to Japanese records) and was buried Sandakan No. 2.

Please read further about ‘E’ Force Borneo.

Also see map and photographs of men who perished Sandakan.

 

Lake George

 

George Lake’s name is included on the Collie War Memorial.

 

George’s mother Annie Anderson was first married to John William Annandale who was born Scotland, who enlisted 1916 with 16th Btn, later 48th Battalion KIA Villers, Bretonneux, France 29 June 1918 aged 36 years.  John and Annie had four children – William, John, Margaret and David.

 

 

 

 

Annie Annandal remarried 1927 to George Lake, also a WW1 veteran and they had three children – George, James and Frank.
Annie must have dreaded George enlisting WW2.  Especially as her first husband was KIA.  Worse still she and the family never learnt any details about Sandakan, the loss of lives nor what happened to George.  Annie would have gone to her grave in 1974 still not knowing much about Sandakan and Borneo.  It was a terrible decision the Australian Government made to not allow any details be made public until late 1980s.
George never left Sandakan to march (one can hardly call their journey a march) to Ranau.  He died at Sandakan No 1 Camp 8 April 1945 aged 23 years because he was never fit or well enough to leaves on parties.  He died before end of May 45 when the Japanese forced all the POWs out of their Camps and ‘homes’ for the past 2 or more years before setting fire to them.   Those POWs too weak to leave on 2nd March, were left  to lay in on the ground without shelter, water and food and often without ground sheets.  It was barbaric.
George (Jnr) worked as wheeler.
George Lake (Snr) died in 1957.
Annie Lake died 16 January 1974 aged 87 years.  Three of her seven children predeceased her.  She was buried at Collie.

Camp Locations:

  • Selarang Barracks Changi - Singapore
  • Selarang Camp Changi - Singapore
  • Sandakan - Borneo ***
  • Lintang Officers Camp, Kuching - Sarawak
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