Percy Lake
| Sir Percy Lake | |
|---|---|
 General sir Percy Lake |
|
| Born | 29 June 1855 |
| Died | 17 November 1940 (aged 85) |
| Allegiance |  United Kingdom |
| Service/branch |  British Army |
| Years of service | 1873-1917 |
| Rank | General |
| Commands held | Chief of the Canadian General Staff 7th Indian Division Chief of the Indian General Staff Commander-in-Chief of British operations in Mesopotamia |
| Battles/wars | Second Afghan War Sudan Mesopotamia |
| Awards | KCB (1908), KCMG |
General Sir Percy Henry Noel Lake, KCB, KCMG (29 June 1855-17 November 1940) was a senior commander of the British Indian Army, serving during World War I, and a Canadian soldier.
Contents |
[edit] Career
He was born to Lt-Col FG Lake who was stationed at Fulwood Barracks, Preston, Lancashire on 29 June 1855. He attended Preston Grammar School.[1]
Having joined the 59th Foot regiment of the British Army in 1873, Lake fought in the Second Afghan War of 1878-1879 and in Sudan 1885. He was promoted from Sub-Lieutenant to Lieutenant on 9 August 1873.[2]
Graduating subsequently from the General Staff College 1887, he took up a position in the War Office's Intelligence Department.
On 22 August 1902 he was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB).[3]
Lake started his military career as an officer of infantry (1873), then promoted Brigadier-General, Major-General, Lieutenant-General (1911) and General.
Prior to the outbreak of war in 1914, Lake served mainly in India and in Canada. He is known as the first Chief of the Canadian General Staff (1904–1908), then acting as chief military advisor to the Canadian government (1908–1910). In 1911, he was appointed to command the 7th Indian Division and then served as Chief of the General Staff in India (1912–1915).
[edit] World War I
In 1915, Lake was dispatched by the War Office to Mesopotamia to protect Britain's all-important oil pipelines, which were critical in supplying the Royal Navy. With Sir John Nixon's illness and subsequent retirement as Commander-in-Chief of British operations in Mespotoamia in January 1916, Lake was assigned as his replacement.
Lake was afforded no honeymoon period in his new command: he was promptly ordered to launch a second operation directed at relieving Sir Charles Townshend's besieged forces at Kut.
Lake dispatched the relief force, under the command of General Aylmer, then General George Gorringe in three attempts to relieve General Townshend. However, all failed, and finally General Townshend - who was subsequently accused of inactivity during the relief attempts - surrendered to the Turks in late April 1916, in what was perhaps the greatest humiliation to befall the British army to that date.
Following the failure to relieve the siege at Kut, Lake was recalled to London to testify before the newly-established Mesopotamia Commission of Inquiry set-up to investigate the problems in the region. He was replaced as Commander-in-Chief by General Maude.
He was created Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) on 1 January 1916. At the time he was Colonel, The East Lancashire Regiment and Chief of the General Staff, India.[4]
Holding no further active command in the war, he was assigned to the Ministry of Munitions in May 1917.
[edit] Later life
Following the war he formally retired in November 1919. He died on 17 November 1940 in Victoria, British Columbia.[1]
[edit] References
- ^ a b Preston Grammar School Association
- ^ London Gazette: no. 24247. p. 4570. 21 September 1875. Retrieved 2009-05-10.
- ^ London Gazette: no. 27490. p. 6910. 31 October 1902. Retrieved 2009-05-10.
- ^ Supplement to the London Gazette no.29423 p.80 1 January 1916 Retrieved on 2009-05-10
[edit] Further reading
Barker, A. J., The First Iraq War, 1914-1918: Britain's Mesopotamian Campaign (New York: Enigma Books, 2009), ISBN 978-1-929631-86-5
[edit] External links
| Military offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Equivalent position held by General Officer Commanding the Forces (Canada) |
Chief of the General Staff (Canada) 1904-1908 |
Succeeded by Sir William Otter |
| Preceded by Sir Douglas Haig |
Chief of the General Staff (India) 1912–1916 |
Succeeded by Sir George Kirkpatrick |
- 1855 births
- 1940 deaths
- British military personnel of the Second Anglo-Afghan War
- British Army personnel of the Mahdist War
- British Army World War I generals
- Canadian generals
- Canadian knights
- Knights Commander of the Order of the Bath
- Knights Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George
- 59th Regiment of Foot officers
- People from Preston, Lancashire
