The Queens Own Royal West Kent R

The Queens Own Royal West Kent Regiment

Private J Blake

Private John BLAKE, G/4845, 1st Battalion, Queens Own Royal West Kent Regiment, died of wounds, (shell wound to neck), France and Flanders, 14th August 1917.

Born Gateshead, Durham, son of John H Blake.

13th January 1906, St Joseph Church, Stanley, Durham, married Katherine / Catherine Coates, 7 Kepple Street, South Shields, Durham.

Children - Catherine Blake, born 12th January 1909, Stanley, Durham; John Henry Blake, born 29th March 1910, Stanley, Durham; Elizabeth Blake, born Lancashire; Edward (Edwin) Blake, born 22nd June 1914, Dover, died 17th January 1918, of meningitis at 17 Jubilee Street, Wallsend, Northumberland, age 3, son of John Henry Blake, Private Royal West Kent Regiment, No.4845, coal hewer, (deceased), informant William Bell, Andrews Houses, Marley Hill, present at death.

1911 Census - 7 Delacour Street West, Stanley, Durham - John Blake, head, age 28, married, coal miner, born Gateshead, Durham; Catherine Blake, wife, age 24, married 5 years, 3 children, all still alive, born Bonmgigg; Elizabeth Blake, daughter, age 4, born Stanley, Durham; Catherine Blake, daughter, age 2, born Stanley, Durham; John Blake, son, age 1, Stanley, Durham; James Mill, visitor, age 29, married, coal miner, born Gateshead, Durham; Isabella Mill, visitor, age 25, married 8 years, 1 child, still alive, born Brondon, Durham; Robert Mill, visitor, age 7, school, Sleetburn, Durham.

Enlisted Chatham, Kent, age 33, height 5ft 9½ inches, 182lbs. Resided 30 Manor Road, Old Brompton, Kent. Formerly collier.

Home 8th December 1914 to 6th April 19158; BEF 7th April 1915 to 14th August 1917.

8th December 1914, enlisted; 9th December 1914, posted Depot, Royal West Kent Regiment; 15th December 1914, posted 3rd Battalion, Royal West Kent Regiment; 14th January 1915, appointed unpaid Lance Corporal; 18th March 1915, appointed paid Lance Corporal; 18th March 1915, Fort Darland, overstaying his pass from Tattoo until Tattoo 19th, severely reprimanded, forfeits 2 days pay; 8th April 1915, 5 Infantry Base Depot, Etaples; 12th April 1915, joined Battalion, "C" Company; 17th April 1915, posted 1st Battalion, Royal West Kent Regiment; 23rd August 1915, 5 ????; 3rd September 1915, rejoined Battalion; 19th June 1915, effects of gas; 14th July 1916, 37 Casualty Clearing Station, mine gas poisoning; 16th July 1916, Hospital Train; 2th July 1916, 6 General Hospital, gas; 26th July 1916, Convalescent Depot, Le Treport; 15th August 1916, 21 days Field Punishment No.1.; 10th September 1916, permanently attached 184th Tunnelling Company, Royal Engineers; 4th December 1916, 14 days Field Punishment No.2.; 15th April 1917, 7 days Field Punishment No.2., deprived of 3 days pay; 25th April 1917, to 3 Army ??? School; 8th May 1917, 10 days Field Punishment No.1; 6th June 1917, slightly wounded, remained on duty.

28th April 1915, Letter written by Lance Corporal John Blake to YMCA, through Army Pay Office. Dear Father & Sister & Brothers and wife and Children if any, just a few lines to let you I am in France fighting for my Country. What I did I could not help. I will tell you all when I come back if I am spared. If you can find my wife and children try to and tell her that I could not get work and got in a fix, and was there for seven months and could not write to her. But I hope to come home safe and tell her with my own mouth. I would like to know if any of my brothers has joined up and if there at the fighting line or not. If so tell me, I want Kate to write to this address to get her allowance money and show her marriage lines :- To C.O. Fort Darland, Chatham, Kent, R.W.Kents. If you would write to me I would be pleased and ask Kate if she would for what I did I could not help. I have ... through a lot since then. I could not tell you all in this and I am think about them dear ones because I don't know how they gone on. I think I will draw to a close now, but write to this address soon. L/Corp John Blake, 13 Brigade, 5 Division, British Exp. Force, France. So good night to all.

3rd July 1915, Memo from Assistant Financial Secretary, War Office - I am directed to inform you that No.34845 L/Cpl J Blake, 1st Battalion, Royal West Kent Regt. and his wife (from whom he had lived apart prior to enlistment) are now reconciled. Separation Allowance for herself and the children should in future be issued to this woman with effect from the date of this letter.

14th June 1916 - as part of 184th Tunnelling Company, Royal Engineers entered a mine with six men and an officer and all suffered the effects of gas. One of the men died. Admitted to Advanced Dressing Station and as the effects were serious, transferred to No. 37 Casualty Clearing Station.

14th July 1916, Herewith proceedings of Court of Enquiry held on 14th July 1916, on the death of No.139463 Cpl. Pilling, and the gassing of 2/ Lieut. H. Newton R.E. and of the undermentioned men of, (or attached) the 184th Tunnelling Co. R.E. - 4845, Pte. Blake, 1st R.W. Kent R; 10985, Rfn Willis, 8th Rifle Bde.; 14126, Rfn A. Malden, 8th Rifle Bde.; 139312, Spr. J Allen, 184th Tunnelling Co. R.E.; 13567, Spr. E Stockdale, 184th Tunnelling Co. R.E.; 121574, Spr. W Baines, 184th Tunnelling Co. R.E. The opinion of the Court was that the accident was due to Cpl Pilling entering the mine, which was known to be "gassy" without a canary or rescue apparatus. The men were on duty & with the exception of Cpl. Pilling, not to blame.

4th March 1918, Pension of 26/3 a week awarded to widow and three children.

26th May 1920, Statement of Relatives - Completed by Catherine Blake, now Mrs C Lockwell - Widow, Catherine Blake, 52 George Street, Westmoreland Road, Newcastle; Children - Elizabeth Blake, born 26th April 1907; Kate Blake, born 12th January 1909; John Henry Blake, born 29th March 1910; Fa1ther, John H Blake, address unknown.

Buried at New Irish Farm Cemetery, I.B.2., Ieper, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium.

This page was last updated on 18-Jan-2017.