Name
Thomas Frederick Blake
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
16/09/1917
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Driver
524370
Royal Engineers
487 Field Company
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Searched but not found
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
MARKYATE (ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST) NEW CHURCHYARD
B. 240.
United Kingdom
Headstone Inscription
"PEACE" AND "REST"
UK & Other Memorials
Markyate Village Memorial, St John The Baptist Church Memorial, Markyate
Pre War
Thomas Frederick (Tom) was born in 1892 (baptised 18 Dec 1896 in Markyate) to Frederick Blake, a wood sawyer, and Elisabeth (nee Clarke).
On the 1901 Census the Family of parents, Mary (born 1879), Walter (born 1881), William (born 1883), Maud (born 1885), Annie (born 1887), Arthur (born 1889), Tom, were living at White House London Road, Markyate. Also listed was Elizabeth (born 1899) as a granddaughter. His mother, daughters Mary and Mary were all straw hat Sewers, Walter was a wood sawyer and William was an agricultural Labourer.
On the 1911 Census the family of parents, Tom (a butcher) and Elizabeth (now listed as daughter) were living at 75 London Road, Markyate.
Tom married Maria Jane White in Flamstead on 7 Mar 1914. They would have a son, Norman (born 16 Aug 1914. They lived at 10 Wimborne Road, Luton.
Wartime Service
Tom volunteered on 19 Oct 1915 as a Territorial Soldier in the Royal Engineers. His Service Number was 3319 and he was designated as Driver. His Unit 2/2 East Anglian Field Company R E (later renamed as 487 Field Company R E) was a component of 69th (2nd East Anglian) Division which was a second territorial division intended for Home service in the UK. The division was initially stationed at Thetford but Later transferred to Northern Command in scattered locations.
In 1917 they again moved to the Retford area of North Nottinghamshire and were again scattered at Welbeck, Thoresby and other locations. Tom gained the service Number 524370 in the 1917 renumbering of The Territorial Force. Tom reported sick and was admitted to No3 Northern General Hospital, Sheffield where he died on 16 Sep 1917 from Pneumonia.
Additional Information
War Gratuity of £5 15s and arrears of £3 2s 3d was paid to his widow Maria. As Tom’s War service was in K and classed as non-active he did not receive medals.
Acknowledgments
Neil Cooper
Jonty Wild, Anne & Gordon Mead
