OBITUARY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23592, 31 August 1938, Page 9

OBITUARY

MR W. J. LAKE -The death occurred early on Monday morning of Mr Walter James Lake, who was well known in the restaurant business in Dunedin. Mr Lake, who was 69 years of age, was born in Higher Broughton, ne'.r Manchester, England, where his father was a corn merchant and miller. He received his education at the Manchester Grammar School, and at the age of about 16 enlisted in the Royal Warwickshire Regiment as a private. He possessed a marked quality for handling men, and rose rapidly in the becoming a sergeant at an unusually early age for the British Army. He was also a fine drill instructor, and on three occasions won Queen -Victoria's bronze medal for squad drill. During his time in the army Mr Lake saw service in the South. African War, where he came into personal contact with Lord BadenPowell, Sir lan Hamilton, and other now-famous soldiers. He also fought in the Egyptian Expedition against the Mahdi at Omdurman. Khartoum, and the Battle of the Atbara, and was one of .he funeral party at the memorial service to General Gordon. Shortly after.the South African War he left the army, but at the outbreak of the Great War he Immediately offered his services and was nosted as instructor of officer cadets, <irst at Tidworth, and then at Oxford, where all the colleges wers given over to the military forces As Serfeant-maior Lake, he was responsible for training some 5000 officers, among thpm many New. Zealanrfers and Australians. In Ms earlier life in the army he also served in 1h« W*st Indies and Ireland In 1921 Mr came.'with his family to New' Zealand, and. after a short time on the Lonebeach estate near Ashburton. he came _to Dunedin fnd was connected with tiie New Zealand Express Company 111-health forced him to relinquish his position, and he and Mrs Lake then started the restaurant in Dowl\np street, which has, been successfully conducted frr. some years Mr Lake is survived by his wife, two daughters—Mrs R Davidson and Mrs M Hey of Dunedin—and four 50r5 Gavin. o f TVpntham. Donald *f Dunedin. and -William and Tony T'he f>vo l?lc:♦-nnmo' , *»r«» members of Hie Roval Nnvv. William beinf on the flagship H.M.S. Nelson, and Tony a leading seaman on a ship in the Mediterranean.