BLAKE, William James
| Service Number: | 3110 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 25 September 1916, Bendigo, Vic. |
| Last Rank: | Lance Corporal |
| Last Unit: | 46th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Bendigo, Victoria, Australia, 1895 |
| Home Town: | Bendigo, Greater Bendigo, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Violet St State School, Bendigo, Victoria, Australia |
| Occupation: | Draper |
| Died: | Killed in Action, Hindenburg Outpost Line, France, 18 September 1918 |
| Cemetery: |
Jeancourt Communal Cemetery Extension Plot V, Row F, Grave No. 3, Jeancourt Communal Cemetery Extension, Jeancourt, Picardie, France |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Bendigo Great War Roll of Honor, Bendigo Myers Employees Roll of Honor, Bendigo St. John's Presbyterian Church Honour Roll |
World War 1 Service
| 25 Sep 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 3110, 60th Infantry Battalion, Bendigo, Vic. | |
|---|---|---|
| 16 Dec 1916: | Involvement Private, 3110, 60th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '20' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Medic embarkation_ship_number: A7 public_note: '' | |
| 16 Dec 1916: | Embarked Private, 3110, 60th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Medic, Melbourne | |
| 1 Jul 1917: | Transferred AIF WW1, Private, 46th Infantry Battalion, Belgium | |
| 26 Sep 1917: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 3110, 46th Infantry Battalion, Polygon Wood | |
| 6 Oct 1917: | Promoted AIF WW1, Lance Corporal, 46th Infantry Battalion, Belgium | |
| 12 Oct 1917: | Involvement AIF WW1, Lance Corporal, 3110, 46th Infantry Battalion, 1st Passchendaele | |
| 5 Apr 1918: | Involvement AIF WW1, Lance Corporal, 3110, 46th Infantry Battalion, Dernancourt/Ancre | |
| 18 Sep 1918: | Involvement Lance Corporal, 3110, 46th Infantry Battalion, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 3110 awm_unit: 46th Australian Infantry Battalion awm_rank: Lance Corporal awm_died_date: 1918-09-18 |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Robert Wight
William James Blake, known as ‘Will’, was born in Quarry Hill, Bendigo, the son of Samuel John and Euphemia Blake. The family later moved to “Ellerslie”, Forest St, Bendigo. He was educated at Gravel Hill and Violet street schools and was then apprenticed as a Draper, working at Myer’s store in Bendigo. He was a teacher in St John’s Presbyterian Sunday School, and, in 1916, was elected as a member of the board of management of St John’s Presbyterian Church. He served in the Citizen Force as a Sergeant in the 67th Infantry.
William James Blake enlisted for service on 25.9.1916. Aged 21 years and 9 months, he was described as being 5’ 8¼” in height, with a fair complexion, grey eyes and light brown hair. He was appointed to the 8th Reinforcements of 60th Battalion, with Service No. 3110. He entered the Broadmeadows Depot on 9th October, 1916, and a fortnight later was sent to No 9 NCO School at Geelong. He was a lifelong friend of Richard Bertram Taylor. They enlisted in the same month, were in camp together, and attended NCO School together. On 23rd November, 1916, they were farewelled together.
“The action of Cpls W Blake & B Taylor, of the AIF, in offering themselves in the service of the nation, was highly eulogised on Thursday, when their fellow members of St John’s Presbyterian Sunday School assembled to present them each with a fountain pen. The presentation was made by Mr W Wright, superintendent of the Sunday School, at a social held for the purpose in the residence of Mr W Anderson, Mount Korong-road.” [Bendigonian 30 Nov 1916]
William James Blake embarked for overseas on 16th December, 1916. He was appointed Acting Lance Corporal for the duration of the voyage. On arrival in England he entered the 15th Training Battalion and reverted to the rank of Private. He embarked for France on 14th June, 1917.
On 29th June, 1917, he was taken on the strength of 46th Battalion. He was appointed Lance Corporal on 6th October. On 16th May, 1918, he was admitted to hospital suffering from trench fever, and sent to England. (Trench fever was rife in the trenches of WW1. Transmitted by body lice it resulted in fever, headaches, and sore muscles.) He rejoined his battalion in France on 27th August.
On 18th September, 1918, the 46th Battalion participated in the first Allied attack on the Hindenburg Line – a heavily fortified German line of defence with numerous machine gun posts. William James Blake was Killed in Action during the attack. Death was instantaneous, the result of machine gun fire, the bullet penetrating his heart. He was buried in the Jeancourt Communal Cemetery Extension, France, in a small village approximately half way between Peronne and St Quentin. (V F 3) His gravestone is inscribed with the words:
“ONE OF GOD’S BEST LOVED BY ALL SEMPER IDEM” (NB Semper Idem = Always the same.)
The news of his death was published in the local newspapers. “This news will be received with sincere regret by many organizations in the city and by a large number of citizens, for he was most popular with everyone with whom he was associated, and whom he met in business.” [Bendigo Independent, 12 October, 1918]
“Bendigo is the poorer through the loss of another of its fine young patriots in the person of Lance-Corporal William James (Will) Blake. . . . . . Possessed of a genial disposition, the late Lance-Corporal Blake was very highly respected. He was an upright, Christian young man who displayed the evidence of a good heart, and the stamp that designates a gentleman.” [Bendigonian, 17 October, 1910]
An ‘In Memoriam Service’ was held at St John’s Presbyterian Church on Sunday night, 20th October, 1918.
Source: bendigopc.org.au
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