Private Albert Myers Blake
| Date of Birth | 31/01/1887 |
|---|---|
| Age at Death | 33 |
| Date of Death | 14/8/1918 |
| Service Number | 85227 |
| Military Service | Northampton Regiment |
| Merton Address | 32 Russell Road, Wimbledon |
| Local Memorial | Wimbledon Cemetery |
Additional Information
Albert Myers Blake, the son of Charles and Bessie Blake, was born in Gloucestershire in late 1886 or early 1887. He and his wife Ethel Agnes Blake had two daughters, Edna and Joan, who were born in 1909 and 1912 respectively. From 1911 the family was living at 32, Russell Road, Wimbledon.
Private Blake volunteered for military service and attested at Wimbledon on 12.10.14 for 4 years’ service in the reserve battalion of the East Surrey Regiment. He was transferred to the Labour Corps and served in France from 25th March 1917 until 10th October 1917. The Labour Corps was a British Army unit formed in 1917 for manual and skilled labour on the Western Front and Salonika.
He returned from France with a disability directly attributable to his service overseas. He was initially hospitalised in Nottingham but was transferred to two London hospitals before being sent home. He was discharged from the Labour Corps at the London District Labour Centre on 17th October 1917. The reason given for his discharge was that he was no longer physically fit for war service. A medical report gave the reason as ‘disability due to strain of service’.
Private Blake died at home on 4th December 1917 at the age of 31. He is buried in the Wimbledon (Gap Road) Cemetery. Grave Reference J.B.88