Name
Harry Blake
1888
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
14/11/1916
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
8790
Royal Berkshire Regiment
1st Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 (Mons) Star, British War and Victory Medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
THIEPVAL MEMORIAL
Pier and Face 11 D.
France
Headstone Inscription
N/A
UK & Other Memorials
Not on the Bishop's Stortford Memorials, Cheshunt Town Memorial, Christ Church (Formerly Holy Trinity Church) Memorial, Waltham Cross
Pre War
Harry Blake was born in Birchanger, Essex, (neat Bishops Stortford) in 1888, son of Elizabeth Blake (nee Eden).
1891 Census records Harry aged 4, living with his grandparents, Henry and Rebecca Eden at their home with his widowed mother, sister Leanora (14), brothers John (10), James (7) and Robert (3) at, Old Turnpike Cottages, Main Road, Stanstead Mountfitchet, Essex.
On 23 October 1906, Harry travelled to the County Town of Hertford to enlist for 6 years in the Bedfordshire Militia with the service number 5716.
In the early part of 1908, he applied to join the Regular Army, joining Princess Charlotte of Wales (Royal Berkshire) Regiment on 12 February 1908, with the service number 8790. His address at the time was 30, Alexander Road, Waltham New Town, Waltham Cross, Herts.
1911 Census records Harry aged 23, Single and a Private with the 2nd Battalion, Royal Berkshire Regiment, stationed at Meerut, India.
A newspaper cutting confirms his relationship to this location.
Wartime Service
At the outbreak of war Harry was serving with the 2nd Battalion, Royal Berkshire Regiment, stationed at Jhansi, India. Harry and the Battalion embarked for England on 20 August 1914, arriving on 22 October 1914, stationed at Morn Hill Camp, Winchester, Hampshire, where they were Mobilized for war in November 1914,
Harry and the 2nd Battalion, landed at Le Havre, France, on 6 November 1914, seeing action on the Western Front. He was later transferred to the 1st Battalion, Royal Berkshire Regiment. He was killed in action on 14 November 1916, during the Battle of Ancre, one of the Somme Battles. His body was never recovered, he is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial to the missing in France.
Additional Information
His sister Laura Jones received a war gratuity of £13 and his pay owing of £11- 13s 00d. His Militia Service Record is available to view.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer, Stuart Osborne
Brenda Palmer
