Quick Facts
Biography
Lieutenant-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.
Career
Lake was born at Fulwood Barracks, Preston, Lancashire on 29 June 1855, where his father was stationed. He was the son of Lt.-Colonel Percy Godfrey Botfield Lake (1829–1899) and his wife Margaret Phillips of Quebec City. He was educated at Preston Grammar School and Uppingham School.
Lake was commissioned as a sub-lieutenant in the 59th Regiment of Foot in 1873. He fought on the Second Anglo-Afghan War in 1878 and in Sudan in 1885. He was promoted to lieutenant on 9 August 1873.
He became Deputy Assistant Adjutant General and Quartermaster General in Egypt in 1885, Staff Captain at Army Headquarters in 1887 and Deputy Assistant Adjutant General (Intelligence) at Army Headquarters in 1888. He went on to be Deputy Assistant Adjutant General at Dublin District in Ireland in 1892, Quartermaster General for the Canadian Militia in 1893 and Assistant Quartermaster General at Army Headquarters in 1899. He was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) on 22 August 1902.
After that Lake became Chief Staff Officer for 2nd Army Corps in 1904, Chief of the Canadian General Staff in 1905 and Inspector General of the Canadian Militia in 1908.
He then became General Officer Commanding 7th Indian Division in India in 1911 and Chief of the General Staff in India from 1912. In January 1916 he was appointed Commander of the Mesopotamian Force, as part of an expeditionary force sent to relieve Sir Charles Townshend's troops at Kut. In 1913 he was given the colonelcy of the East Lancashire Regiment, which he held until 1920.
He was created Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) on 1 January 1916.
Later life
Following the war he formally retired on 20 November 1919. He died on 17 November 1940 in Victoria, British Columbia.