WO2 (BSM) Sydney Arthur Lake (67 Field Regt, RA) died on 5 May 1944 aged 32, he was born late in 1911 at Newton Abbot in Devon. He was a pre-war regular soldier in the Hampshire Regt and had served in India pre-war after transferring to the RA. The WW2 Roll of Honour (CD) says he died in the Italian theatre of operations however the Commonwealth War Graves Commission shows him commemorated on the Brookwood Memorial which is normally used for chaps with no known graves such as SOE, SAS, bomb disposal, UK based soldiers lost on raids against enemy occupied Europe and soldiers lost aboard ships/aircraft in western europe. If he had died in Italy and had no known grave he should be commemorated on the Cassino Memorial. Can anybody help me to understand this please ? What could he have been up to ?
Retired Seaman ONE possibility is that he was wounded in Italy - shipped with a "blighty" one and died as he reached the UK......5th May '44 was the run up to the last Battle - "Diadem" to clear Cassino and the Liri Valley and Hospitals would be clearing out for the expected casualties Cheers
If you can get to the National Archives the answer maybe in the following file: WO 170/950 67 Field Regt RA Jan Dec 1944
Thanks Tom, I had pondered that but decided in that situation the authorities would have had his body to bury properly in the UK and put a headstone up. Even UK cremations were recorded on memorials in local Crem's. This is commemoration of men with no known graves or no body to bury (ie: blown to bits or lost at sea). I cant find an aircraft lost on that date which could have been ferrying seriously wounded lads home, no suitable ship lost that date, nothing. Thanks Drew, I'll see if I can get it.
Please find attached Panel from Brookwood LAKE, SYDNEY ARTHUR Rank: Warrant Officer Class II Trade: B.S.M. Service No: 5616512 Date of Death: 05/05/1944 Age: 32 Regiment/Service: Royal Artillery 67 Field Regt. Panel Reference Panel 2. Column 2. Memorial BROOKWOOD MEMORIAL Additional Information: Son of Mr. and Mrs. Sydney Arthur Lake; husband of Bertha Lake, of Cullompton, Devon.
Retired Seaman I was merely advancing a possibility as the Cassino commemoration panels include those who were blown to bits etc - range as far as Sicily and Anzio - so it is strange that he is not buried there as the Rapido crossing was not a million miles away Cheers
Retired Seaman I was merely advancing a possibility as the Cassino commemoration panels include those who were blown to bits etc - range as far as Sicily and Anzio - so it is strange that he is not buried there as the Rapido crossing was not a million miles away Cheers And its appreciated thanks Tom
Hello Retired Seaman contact CWGC Example RAF chap Sergeant Robert Walter Theobald who is commemorated on the Malta Memorial in place of Runnymede. Please see below from Forum Member ritsonvaljos WW2 - The Second World War: WW2 Casuatlies of Fulstow, Lincolnshire CWGC will advise further and unless suitable documentation or a family request is made they will keep him on the Brookwood Memorial regards Clive
If he had died in Italy and had no known grave he should be commemorated on the Cassino Memorial. Can anybody help me to understand this please ? What could he have been up to ? He is in the overseas death index, so did not die in blighty. Possibly died at sea? or is commemorated in the wrong place.
There is a probate record for Sydney Lake, which strangley states 'died on war service' suggesting that his place of death wasnt recorded correctly. At the time of his death he lived at Padbrook Hill Cullumpton, with his wife Bertha.
WO2 (BSM) Sydney Arthur Lake (67 Field Regt, RA) died on 5 May 1944 aged 32 I have only just come across this rather ancient posting but for the record BSM Lake is recorded in the 67th War Diary for May 1944 "other ranks whose return to the unit is particularly requested" Hospital unknown. Casualties reported for April were very low, particularly as they were in the Anzio Beachhead. 2 x O/R injured sent to Hospital plus 2x O/R hospitalised with shell shock. No details of wounds or cause re BSM Lake SA. The Regiment were engaged in moving positions, digging in etc. in preparation for the Breakout. They were extensively shelled with numbers of casualties treated on the Beachhead. At the end of April the Breakout commenced.
Died at sea on a hospital ship on route from Italy to UK of Lung Cancer (based on a quick google of Carcinoma of Bronchus)
Thats very impressive! The Regiment obviously thought he would be ok to have listed a request for his return. Many incidents were listed in various documents but April is mostly changes of positions and the Fire Orders for the Breakout. I will do a bit more digging. Unusual to lose a BSM without some sort of comment. *Looking at cause of death above and AB64 notes, he seems to have died of Lung Cancer. He must have been ill for some time. Did he join in 1939 or in 1941 when 446 Bty was raised. Would the 1939 census reveal this.
Sydney Arthur Lake died on 5.5.1944 aboard LLANDOVERY CASTLE. At this time she was HMHS 39. Regards Hugh
If he was from Worcestershire he would probably have appeared in the local press and hence be known to the veterans but being from Devon he may have returned home and been buried unknown to the Regt. Perhaps he might be on Ancestry if a relative has researched his tree. Past experience has led me not to go there and this Christmas is on hold for personal reasons. Who is/was Retired Seaman?
As he died at sea he would have also been buried at sea - he is commemorated on the Brookwood Memorial as he has no known grave - only the sea. Lest we forget. Regards Hugh
Panel form my photo collection Brookwood Memorial WARRANT OFFICER CLASS II SYDNEY ARTHUR LAKE Service Number: 5616512 Regiment & Unit/Ship Royal Artillery 67 Field Regt. Date of Death Died 05 May 1944 Age 32 years old Buried or commemorated at BROOKWOOD 1939-1945 MEMORIAL Panel 2. Column 2. United Kingdom Country of ServiceUnited Kingdom Additional InfoSon of Mr. and Mrs. Sydney Arthur Lake; husband of Bertha Lake, of Cullompton, Devon.
