BLAKE, Reuben Stephens
| Service Number: | 2298 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 3rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital |
| Born: | Bull Creek, South Australia , 15 September 1894 |
| Home Town: | Bull Creek, Mount Barker, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Paris Creek, South Australia |
| Occupation: | Farm Labourer |
| Died: | Died of wounds, United Kingdom, 5 May 1918, aged 23 years |
| Cemetery: |
Brookwood Military Cemetery, Pirbright, Surrey, England, United Kingdom Reuben was buried on the 11th of May at 1330hrs, in a polished Elm coffin, in the Brookwood Military Cemetery; Grave 180975. His coffin was draped with the Australian Flag and a firing party and bugler were present. In 1923 his grave was officially registered as; Plot 4, Row E, Grave 16. |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Broomehill War Memorial, Gnowangerup War Memorial |
World War 1 Service
| 13 Oct 1916: | Involvement Private, 2298, 44th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '18' embarkation_place: Fremantle embarkation_ship: HMAT Port Macquarie embarkation_ship_number: A39 public_note: '' | |
|---|---|---|
| 13 Oct 1916: | Embarked Private, 2298, 44th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Port Macquarie, Fremantle | |
| 30 Mar 1918: | Wounded Rueben suffered a fractured skull from a gun shot wound he received on the 30th of March 1918. | |
| 17 Apr 1918: | Transferred 3rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital, He arrived at the 3rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital, Dartmoor, England on the 17th of April 1918. |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Paul Lemar
BLAKE Reuben Stephen – 2298
Reuben the son of Henry Blake & Sarah Goldingand was born on the 15th of September 1894 in Bull Creek Hill, SA. He was the youngest child born into the family of 9 children.
Sadly, his mother died on the 18th of March 1896 at Bull Creek, when Reuben was only 18 months old.
He was possibly educated at the Paris Creek School.
His parents were married on the 4th of April 1876 in Moonta, SA.
His father was the son of Joseph Blake & Ann Bennett and was born in 1849 in Wilton, Wiltshire, England.
His mother was the daughter of Stephen Golding & Sarah Peacock and was born on the 15th of February 1854 in Adelaide, SA.
In 1916, Reuben was a farm labourer, living at Gnowangerup, WA. He was working on his brother’s; Archibald’s, farm “Rosslyn Farm”. His brother had moved there about 1901.
His other brother; Joseph Henry had also moved to Gnowangerup, WA. The town was a primarily, a wheat belt town and sheep grazier region. Located 365 kms SE of Perth.
Reuben enlisted into the 44th Battalion, 4th Reinforcement on the 5th of May 1916 in Belmont, WA and was allotted the service number 2298. He listed his brother; Archibald Blake,of Gnowangerup, WA,as next of kin.
Rueben suffered a fractured skull from a gun shot wound he received on the 30th of March 1918. He arrived at the 3rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital, Dartmoor, England on the 17th of April 1918.
He was wounded on the left hand side of his head and received a compound fracture. He was operated on and the destroyed bone was removed, but it was found that his brain had been injured. He could only answer “yes”. His right arm was paralysed, but he could write his brother’s name and address and seemed quite sensible.
On the 26th of April, his condition became worse; he was feverish and suffering from severe headaches. His left side began to twitch and he lost the use of his right leg.
Rueben developed acute inflammation of the brain, but under treatment he improved slightly.
On the 4th of May he became half conscious and remained so until the following day, when his heart began to fail. Reuben died of a Cerebral Hernia, due to the fractured skull, at 1255hrs on the 5th of May 1918 in the 3rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital, Dartmoor, England. He did not seem to suffer any pain towards the end.
He was attended to by Captain Juet and Captain Cue of WA and Captain Landon of Fremantle WA, who in conjunction with Sister McNaughton, did all in their power for him.
Chaplain, Captain W Smith, of Sale, VIC, visited Reuben constantly until the time of his death.
Reuben was buried on the 11th of May at 1330hrs, in a polished Elm coffin, in the Brookwood Military Cemetery; Grave 180975.
His coffin was draped with the Australian Flag and a firing party and bugler were present.
In 1923 his grave was officially registered as; Plot 4, Row E, Grave 16.
His war medals and memorial plaque went to his father; Henry, C/- George Blake, of Bull Creek, in 1922.
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