Dawlish World War One Project

Charles joined the Royal Navy as a Boy Seaman on 28th September 1899 and on reaching the age of 18 on 25 April 1902, became an Ordinary Seaman and signed on for 12 years service.
He was rated Leading Seaman in April 1912 and then Petty Officer in May 1913.

In September 1915 he was posted to H.M.S.ARROGANT, acting as Depot ship to the 4th Submarine Flotilla at Dover, and in November 1915 he went on to H.M.S.MAIDSTONE, also a submarine depot ship at Harwich. Harwich was an important naval base for control of the southern North Sea and the entrance to the English Channel.

Submarine E 16 was commissioned on 27 February 1915 and sank U-boat U6 off Stavanger, Norway on 15 September 1915. She was based at Harwich and was one of 33 submarines there.
Submarine E 16 was assumed mined in the Heligoland Bight and sunk off the German Coast. There were no survivors.

Charles was the youngest child of James Lake (1836-1914), born in Sandford, who married Ann Cleave (1838-1892). James was an agricultural labourer in the 1891 census when they lived at 96 Jollys(?), Crediton.
They had three children, all born in Crediton; Caroline M (1872-) a boot machinist, Walter G (1876-) a tinplate worker, and Charles Lake (1884-1916).

Charles joined the Royal Navy as a Boy Seaman on 28th September 1899.
On reaching the age of 18 on 25 April 1902, became an Ordinary Seaman and signed on for 12 years service.
He was based in Devonport and married Mary Ann Cundy (1882- )of Dawlish in Q1 1906 in Devonport.
Mary Ann was the daughter of Richard Cundy, a builder, and Hannah who lived at 3 King Street, Dawlish (1891 census).

Charles and Mary Ann had three children, born in Dawlish; Frank(1907-), Joyce (1909-1984), and Leonard (1912-1913).
In 1911 census Mary Ann Lake was living with her widowed mother, Hannah Cundy, at 8 King Street, with her first two children, Walter Lake, her brother-in-law, and two Cundy grandchildren of Hannah. Charles was recorded staying with a relative, George Thomas Trewin at 99 Victory St, Keyham, Devonport while he was on the books of H.M.S.VIVID, the Devonport Naval Barracks.