Ashtead War Memorials - WWI - Lieutenant Colin Peake, Leicestershire Yeomanry

Colin Peake was a grandson of Frederick Peake of Parsons Mead, Ashtead, (who was also a partner in Messrs Bird Peake & Collins, 6 Bedford Row, London, Solicitors). His father, Ronald*, born 11 June 1861, lived in 1881 at Burrow Village, Burrough, Leicestershire, but his marriage, to Florence Rebecca Adams, was registered at Epsom in the Autumn of 1886 and by 1897 he had had acquired a lease of Howard House, Ashtead.

Colin’s birth was registered at the end of 1889 and he went to Fonthill School before going on to Charterhouse.

Ashtead Parish Magazine reports the award of the bronze medal and life-saving certificate to Frederick Hampton - in relation to a pond in Sedgewick's disused brick-field. The presentation was made in the presence of Hampton's Scout Troop - the Scoutmaster in December 1911 was Colin Peake

Having completed articles to train as a Solicitor, Colin was admitted to the family firm, 1913, joining his father in business.

A local connection would explain his enlistment with Prince Albert’s Own Leicestershire Yeomanry in which he was commissioned on 23 April 1909. Promoted to the rank of Lieutenant, 1911, he went to France in 1914 when his unit was ordered abroad to take part in the First Battle of Ypres.

On the 12th May 1915 the Leicestershire Yeomanry comprising 281 all ranks moved into the line East of Ypres. [Near Hooge] At about 3.30am on the 13th the Germans began a heavy bombardment of the line. Just after 6am the first German attack was quickly checked and the Germans restarted their bombardment till just after 7.30am when they once again attacked. The fighting continued all day. The line to the left of the Leicesters gave and they were at one time surrounded, having to make a fighting withdrawal. Heavy fighting continued throughout the day and when the Leicesters were pulled out of the line they had suffered over 180 casualties, including their Colonel.

A memorial service took place, 28 May 1915, in St Martin’s Church, Leicester [Leicester Cathedral], to mark the grievously heavy loss of Officers, NCOs and men from Leicestershire Yeomanry on the 13th in defence of the line at Ypres.

He is named on the Charterhouse School Roll of Honour.

* Ronald Peake of Howard House was appointed Chairman of Local Emergency Committee for Ashtead under the WW1 Defence of the Realm Act. It appears that there are papers at Surrey History Centre under 7543/2/1 which include a list of names relating to the registration of adult males in 1916. That should help to establish which of the Ashtead casualties had been conscripted.

Research by Brian Bouchard
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page added 8 Feb 09, last updated 11 Apr 10: 28 Nov 17