LAKIE, George
| Service Number: | 110 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 5 January 1916, at Adelaide |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 43rd Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Port Adelaide, South Australia, 1872 |
| Home Town: | Rosewater (Greytown), Port Adelaide Enfield, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Clerk |
| Died: | Port Adelaide, Adelaide, 30 June 1953, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: | Not yet discovered |
| Memorials: | Rosewater Womens Memorial Roll of Honour WW1, Semaphore Port Adelaide Presbyterian Church Roll of Honour WW1 |
World War 1 Service
| 5 Jan 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 110, 43rd Infantry Battalion, at Adelaide | |
|---|---|---|
| 9 Jun 1916: | Involvement Private, 110, 43rd Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '18' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Afric embarkation_ship_number: A19 public_note: '' | |
| 9 Jun 1916: | Embarked Private, 110, 43rd Infantry Battalion, HMAT Afric, Adelaide |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Saint Ignatius' College
Before the War:
George Lakie was born in Port Adelaide, South Australia in approximately 1872. He was the son of Charles Lakie and Jane Brown. Prior to enlisting, he worked as a clerk in Adelaide. At the time of his enlisting, George Lakie was married; on his enlistment form he said he (falsely) had no children. George had a fresh complexion, blue eyes and grey hair. He stood at the height of 5.4 feet tall (162.56 cm) and weighed 133 pounds (60 kg). His wife’s name was Mary Gertrude Lakie. George was a faithful man, whose religion was The Church of England. George's records do not mention him having any children, however further name searches linked George as being a father of the late Keith George Lakie, killed at Pozieres. A tribute by The Australian War Memorial, name George Lakie is being the father of Keith and also two daughters, Agnes Myrtle Lakie and the other name unknown. A newspaper article also states that Keith is the son of Mary Gertrude and George Lakie.
Life at War:
On the 5th of January 1916, at the age of 43 years old, George was enlisted in Port Adelaide, South Australia to fight for Australia in the war. The journey began when George alongside the 43rd Battalion boarded a ship named the HMAT A19 Afric. They left Adelaide on the 9th of June 1916. George’s job in the war was Infantry, this meant that they had to learn how to fight on foot, regardless of season, weather or terrain. Due to George’s old age, he was sick quite a lot during the war and fought on only some occasions. George was detached from the field (unspecified location) on the 30th of November 1916. George was also originally in the 2nd Depot from the 5th of January to the 31st of January 1916. He was then moved from the 2nd Depot into the 43rd Infantry Battalion on the 7th of March 1916. He then marched in the ex. Unit in the Rouelles, France on the 13th of November 1917. The description from the war diaries for that date and that battalion was as follows: Left WITTES at 7.30 A.M, arrived at X roads half a mile north of St Douliea at 6 P.M where the battalion stayed for night. On one of George Lakie’s medical reports, it states that he always had a cough, serious chest problems and that his eyesight started to rapidly decline. He was then advised to discharge from fighting, so on the 1st of February 1918 he was discharged and was sent to the permanent base in England due to Debility (asthma) and Senility (old age). From Balmoral Castle in England, he was then sent back to Australia and he arrived home on the 8th of April 1918.
After the War:
George Lakie was one of the very fortunate servicemen who got to return home and see their families again, although he did lose his son to the war. He lived to the age of 83 years old alongside his wife and two daughters. He died on the 30th of June 1953. He returned home to his family in Adelaide on the 8th of April 1918. His total service was 2 years and 94 days.