Name
Christopher Blake
18 August 1892
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
04/09/1916
24
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Second Lieutenant
Bedfordshire Regiment
3rd Bn. attd. 1st Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
THIEPVAL MEMORIAL
Pier and Face 2 C.
France
Headstone Inscription
No Report
UK & Other Memorials
Aldenham School Memorial, Aldenham, Harpenden Town Memorial, Church of St Nicholas Memorial, Harpenden
Pre War
Christopher was born in Harpenden on 18 August 1892, the fourth son of Dr, William Henry Blake M.B., surgeon, and Elizabeth Alice Blake (nee Twynan). He was the 4th of 5 brothers and 3 sisters.. Theirt later address was Bowers House, Harpenden.
He went to Emmanuel College, Cambridge where he obtained a B.A. degree. He started work at St John’s College of Agriculture in Bedfordshire.
Wartime Service
Christopher enlisted in 1915 and went to France on 28 Aug 1916 and arrived with 2nd Beds near Guillemont, France on 1 Sep 1916 with another officer and 30 ORs.
The Battalion was detailed for an attack on Falfemont Farm 3/4 Sept, the Battalion complement of 20 Officers and 610 ORs went into attack which was successful but the Battalion sustained losses of 17 Officers and 289 ORs. Christopher was one of the Officers lost on 4 Sept 1915.
He was killed in action and is body was not recovered and he is remembered on the Thiepval memorial to the Missing of the Somme.
Biography
Additional Information
Arrears of £76 8s 11d was paid to his father.
Marcus Blake (his brother) served in the Royal Navy from Jan 1906 to Jul 1930 as Paymaster and German Interpreter.
Acknowledgments
Neil Cooper
Jonty Wild, Mary Skinner, Harpenden & District Local History Society (www.harpenden-history.org.uk)
