(Served as Reginald Maurice Bertrand)
Reginald Maurice Duckworth La Forge was born in Crosby, Liverpool, Lancashire, England, on the 10th February 1897, the illegitimate son of Alice La Forge. His mother was born in France, and he had a younger brother, Leonidas, who was born in 1899, but who died in infancy. His mother later married Emile Bertrand, although no record of the marriage can be found, and had four more children. It is possible that Emile Bertrand was his father, for from an early age, Reginald was using the name Bertrand as his surname.
The family home was in Molyneux Street, Liverpool, but when he engaged for the Lusitania’s final voyage, Reginald gave his home address as 333, Upper Parliament Street, Toxteth, Liverpool. His mother is also known to have lived at The Huskisson Hotel, Huskisson Street, Toxteth, Liverpool.
Emile Bertrand was a chef in the Mercantile Marine and served on the Cunarders Mauretania and Aquitania as well as on the vessels of other shipping lines. Although Reginald and other children were born in Liverpool, the family frequently moved from Liverpool to France and also to Southampton, Hampshire, presumably in the course of Emile Bertrand’s career. No doubt Emile was influential in teaching Reginald about preparing and cooking food and in joining the Mercantile Marine.
On the 12th April 1915, Reginald La Forge engaged under the name of Bertrand, as an extra second cook in the Stewards' Department on board the Lusitania, at Liverpool. His monthly wage was £7. He reported for duty at 7 o’clock on the morning of the 17th April, before the liner left the River Mersey for the last time. It was not his first voyage on the Lusitania, however as he had served previously on board her as a larder cook.
He lost his life just three weeks later when she was sunk, and his body was never recovered and identified afterwards.
As a consequence, his name is embossed on the Mercantile Marine Memorial at Tower Hill, London. It is also included in a Book of Honour in Liverpool Anglican Cathedral. He was aged 18 years.
Cunard and Commonwealth War Graves Commission records show his name to be Laporge, but his niece, Ethel Turner, in a letter to the late Graham Maddocks in September 1998 confirmed it as La Forge.
Sadly, Reginald La Forge’s mother died in Liverpool on the 9th August 1915, aged 36 years.
Register of Births, Marriages and Deaths, 1901 Census of England, PHOTO, Cunard Records, Commonwealth War Graves Commission, National School Admission Registers and Log Books 1870 – 1914, PRO BT 100/345, PRO BT 334, Deaths at Sea 1871 – 1968, Graham Maddocks, Ethel Turner, Geoff Whitfield, Michael Poirier, Jim Kalafus, Cliff Barry, Paul Latimer, Norman Gray.
Copyright © Peter Kelly.
Revised & Updated – 14th February 2024.