Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Private Percy Lakey (Service Nos:V122162/VX135528) initially served in the ACMF with 57/60 Infantry Battalion and 15th Infantry Brigade from 14 December 1941 to 20 January 1943. Private Lakey was 'in the field' on 21 January 1943 when he enlisted in the AIF, and was attached to 4 Docks Operating Coy at Discharge on 28 November 1945. Private Lakey was one of four siblings - Bill, Lindsay and Walter - who served in the Army in WWII.

Percy was born at Welshman's Reef via Maldon, Victoria in 1920, sixth of nine children of William Lakey (b1887 in Bradford, Victoria) and Selina Lock (b1892 in Gowar via Maldon, Victoria). William (a Labourer) and Selina married in 1907 in Newstead via Castlemaine and lived at Welshman's Reef, where William was a Labourer, until 1919 when they moved their family to Newstead and William worked as a Woodcutter and Labourer. The family moved to Maldon in the 1930s, and William worked as a Miner with two of his sons at the Old Union Mine. 

Percy was a Miner in Maldon when he enlisted in the Army, and in 1944 in Melbourne, he married Ethel Avery May Lane (b1921 in bendigo, Victoria) - Ethel was working in Melbourne as a Machinist. Following his Discharge, Percy and Ethel settled in Melbourne, where they raised their family and Percy worked as a Labourer and Iron Moulder. In the mid 1960s Percy and Ethel moved to Warracknabeal, where they were Cafe Proprietors until the early 1970s when they moved to Bendigo and Percy worked as a Barman. Ethel died in 2014 and Percy in 2019. In his Obituary (Legacy) Percy was named 'The Legend', 'Percy the Punter' and 'Mayor of Short Street'.