Family history often turns up unexpected stories—but every now and then, one feels especially personal. Edward Rake’s story is one of those: a life shaped by war, resilience, and a chance connection that changed everything.
I had a wedding photo in my collection of my great-grand-uncle Edward and his wife, Maggie. I had no idea what I would discover about him, his life, and the background of their story.
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| Edward James Rake and his bride, Margaret Helen Munro Campbell on their wedding day in 1921 |
Edward was born in Bermondsey, London, the seventh child of Richard Thomas Rake and Sarah Ann Cooper. He had two younger siblings including my great grandfather, Arthur Samuel Rake.
His father died unexpectedly, when Edward was just 9 years old of Lobar Pneumonia Asphyxia, a severe bacterial lung infection.
As a young man, Edward joined the Royal Navy, serving as a stoker from 1900 to 1905. A role that would have exposed him to the harsh realities of life at sea.
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| Edward James Rake - Royal Navy Registers of Seamen's Services |
At the time of the 1901 census he was recorded as a patient at the Royal Navy Hospital in Alverstoke.
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| 1901 England Census - Royal Naval Hospital, Alverstoke, Hampshire. |
At some point, Edward made his way to Australia. There’s no formal record of his actual arrival, but it seems likely he worked his passage as a ship’s cook—as he appears on an Inward Passenger List arriving in Sydney from Brisbane on 31 October 1914.
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| Inward Crew and Passenger List - Anjana - Brisbane to Sydney - 31 Oct 1914 |
With the outbreak of the First World War, Edward enlisted as a Private in the Australian Imperial Force in November 1914 at Lismore, joining the 5th Light Horse Regiment. His service there was brief—he was discharged just over a month later as “no longer required.” Undeterred, he re-enlisted only eight days later in Brisbane, this time under the surname Reid, and joined the 9th Battalion.
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| AIF Record - Edward James Rake alias Reid |
Edward served at Gallipoli, where, like so many others, he faced not only the dangers of combat but also serious illness. He suffered repeated bouts of enteritis and was sent back to Australia for several months to recover. Once well enough, he returned to his battalion—this time on the Western Front in France.
His service there was marked by more hardship. In March 1918, he was gassed and admitted to Tankerton Hospital in Whitstable, Kent, England. After recovering, he returned to France, only to be badly wounded later that year, suffering a gunshot wound to his left knee that resulted in a compound fracture. It effectively ended his time on active service.
He returned to Australia in May 1919 aboard the Wandilla, and spent time recuperating at Rosemount Military Hospital in Brisbane. He was formally discharged in March 1921, having earned the 1914–15 Star, the British War Medal, and the Victory Medal. Given he had no children, I wonder, what happened to his medals?
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| World War One Medals - 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, and Victory Medal |
But among all the records and dates, one small detail stands out as something truly special.
Amid the hardship of war came an unexpected connection. In 1917, while sheltering in a dugout near Bapaume in northern France, Edward received a letter addressed only to “A Lonely Soldier.” Somehow, it found its way to him. The sender was Margaret Helen Munro Campbell. That chance correspondence grew into a relationship, and the two married on 23 February 1921 at Codrington near Lismore.
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| Lonely Soldier Romance [The Richmond River Express and Casino Kyogle Advertiser Fri 4 Mar 1921] |
During World War One up to 12 million letters a week were delivered to soldiers, many on the front line. The Royal Engineers (Postal Section) or REPS as it was universally known, was a part-time reserve unit in peacetime made up of GPO men who'd had a smattering of military training. This unit of postal workers was immediately subsumed into the Army when war broke out, but the Army was only in nominal command. This operation was controlled by the GPO. You can read more about this remarkable operation in this article World War One: How did 12 million letters a week reach soldiers?
Edward and Margaret settled in what is now Beverly Hills in Sydney—then known as Dumbleton—where Edward worked as a postmaster and Margaret as a grocer. They had no children, but built a quiet life together after the turbulence of war.
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| 1928 Sands Directory |
Edward passed away on 10 July 1950 in Greenacre (then East Bankstown), and was laid to rest at Rookwood General Cemetery.
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| Edward James Rake - Decased Estate Files and Funeral Notice |
Like many family stories, Edward’s life is told through a mix of records, gaps, and small moments that carry great meaning. From a young sailor in London to a soldier on the other side of the world—and finally to a quiet life in suburban Sydney—his journey is a powerful reminder of the paths our ancestors took, and the unexpected turns that shaped their lives.
