George Russell Lake

A Sergeant with the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, George died on 17th of January 1945 aged 31. 

George was born at Marylebone, London, on 26 November 1913, a son of Violet Lake. He was baptised at Saint Mark’s Church, Marylebone Road (Queen Charlotte’s Hospital) Church, London, on 4 December 1913. In 1921 George lived with his grandparents Eben Watts and Jane Lake at Rivetts Loke, Blundeston.  

In 1937 George married Olive Lilian Tripp Church, this was registered in the Lothingland district. In 1939 they lived at 18 Higher Drive, Lowestoft, and George was an insurance agent. 

George enlisted in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve after April 1940. In January 1945 he was a Navigator serving with 15 Squadron based at Mildenhall, Suffolk. 

On 17 January he was a member of the crew of a Lancaster I bomber, number PB802 LS-F, which was on a bombing exercise. His aircraft dived into the ground near the Rushford Bombing Range, at Harling, north-east of Thetford. 

WITH THANKS TO: Malcolm Barrass