Private James George Blake
| Date of Birth | c.1892 |
|---|---|
| Age at Death | |
| Date of Death | 3 September 1916 |
| Service Number | 1978 |
| Military Service | 7th Battalion, East Surrey Regiment |
| Merton Address | Church Road, Mitcham |
| Local Memorial | Mitcham War Memorial |
Additional Information
James was born in 1892 in Mitcham and named after his father, James George Blake. He lived with his mother Jessie, older sister Ethel and younger sister Elsie at Bath Road, Mitcham. His father known as Jas, was a Field Labourer and came from a large family of 12 children. James was baptised at St Peter & Paul Church the following year.
The family were still living in Bath Road at the time of the 1901 census, and there is no record of them on the next census in 1911, although a Street Directory records James living at Sanders Terrace, 5 Church Road. Through the marriage record for James’ sister Ethel in 1916, it seems that the rest of the family were living at 91 Church Road, Mitcham.
According to the Surrey Recruitment Register, James enlisted with the East Surrey Regiment in 1914 as a driver. He was 22 years of age and described as 5 ft 6 in in height, weighing 135 lbs, with blue eyes and brown hair. His battalion, the 7th Service Battalion, were formed at Kingston–on-Thames as part of the First New Army and joined the 37th Brigade of the 12th Division. The Battalion mobilised for war in June 1915 and landed at Boulogne. The Battalion would have been engaged in actions on the Western Front, including the Battle of Loos in 1915, the Battle of Albert (1916) and the Battle of Pozieres (23 July – 3 September 1916).
Unfortunately, James was killed in action on the last official day of the battle on 3 September 1916. He is commemorated on the Arras Memorial, France and locally on the Mitcham War Memorial.