2nd Lt
Edward William Richmond Blake
Information about birth
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Year of birth: 1897 |
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Place of birth: Crewkerne, Somerset, England, United Kingdom |
General information
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Profession: Student |
Army information
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Country: England, United Kingdom |
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Force: British Expeditionary Force |
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Rank: Second Lieutenant |
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Service number: / |
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Units: — Prince Albert’s (Somerset Light Infantry), 4th Bn. attd. 8th Bn. (Attached) |
Information about death
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Date of death: 31/07/1917 |
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Place of death: Beek Wood, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
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Age: 20 |
Memorial
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Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial Panel: 21N |
Distinctions and medals 2
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British War Medal Medal — 15/04/1921 |
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Victory Medal Medal — 15/04/1921 |
Points of interest 1
| #1 | Place of birth |
My story
Second Lieutenant Edward William Richmond Blake served in the Prince Albert’s (Somerset Light Infantry), 4th Battalion. On the 2nd of June 1917 he joined “D” Company of the Prince Albert’s (Somerset Light Infantry), 8th Battalion, part of the 63rd Brigade, of the 37th Division. He was attached to this unit, as this Battalion was to take part in the Battle of Pilckem, the opening stage of the Third Battle of Ypres.
The 37th Division attacked with the 63rd Brigade on the 31st of July 1917. It advanced from the vicinity of Oosttaverne towards the Ypres–Comines Canal. The attack was mostly a feint attack. Its aim was to compel the Germans to disperse his resources on a larger front.
At 3.50 a.m., zero hour, the 4th Middlesex and a company of the 8th Lincolns, advanced to the line July Farm-Rifle Farm. Four hours later, at 7.50 a.m. the second phase of the attack was launched with the 8th Lincolns and the 8th Somersets. “D” Company of the 8th Somersets had to clear Beek Wood. This was in fact a cluster of enclosures. “D” Company was cooperating with two companies of the 8th Lincolns on the left and “A” and “C” Company on their right. “A” Company soon reached the Western outskirts of Beek Wood and dug in. In the meanwhile two platoons of “D” Company were sent forward to clear the Beek Wood area from German defenders. The Somersets encountered heavy resistance in the enclosures and at 1.50 a.m. it was reported that the remainder of the two platoons were pulling back and that 2nd Lieutenant Blake had been killed while trying to clear Beek Wood. Posts were established at the Northwestern and Southwestern corners of the enclosures. Blake’s platoon had suffered heavy casualties in Beek Wood and many wounded couldn’t be evacuated.
The Germans saw an opportunity to counterattack the battered Somersets and by 8 p.m. Germans were seen massing to the East of the enclosures. However they were soon dispersed with help of the artillery. Under the cover of darkness the units consolidated their positions at night.
Second Lieutenant Edward William Richmond Blake was killed in action on the 31st of July 1917. His remains were never identified, possibly because he was left behind in the enclosures, as his platoon was forced to withdraw. The frontlines in the area remained static for the greater part of the offensive and Beek Wood would remain in German hands. Second Lieutenant Edward William Richmond Blake is remembered on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial. He was 20 years old.
The 37th Division attacked with the 63rd Brigade on the 31st of July 1917. It advanced from the vicinity of Oosttaverne towards the Ypres–Comines Canal. The attack was mostly a feint attack. Its aim was to compel the Germans to disperse his resources on a larger front.
At 3.50 a.m., zero hour, the 4th Middlesex and a company of the 8th Lincolns, advanced to the line July Farm-Rifle Farm. Four hours later, at 7.50 a.m. the second phase of the attack was launched with the 8th Lincolns and the 8th Somersets. “D” Company of the 8th Somersets had to clear Beek Wood. This was in fact a cluster of enclosures. “D” Company was cooperating with two companies of the 8th Lincolns on the left and “A” and “C” Company on their right. “A” Company soon reached the Western outskirts of Beek Wood and dug in. In the meanwhile two platoons of “D” Company were sent forward to clear the Beek Wood area from German defenders. The Somersets encountered heavy resistance in the enclosures and at 1.50 a.m. it was reported that the remainder of the two platoons were pulling back and that 2nd Lieutenant Blake had been killed while trying to clear Beek Wood. Posts were established at the Northwestern and Southwestern corners of the enclosures. Blake’s platoon had suffered heavy casualties in Beek Wood and many wounded couldn’t be evacuated.
The Germans saw an opportunity to counterattack the battered Somersets and by 8 p.m. Germans were seen massing to the East of the enclosures. However they were soon dispersed with help of the artillery. Under the cover of darkness the units consolidated their positions at night.
Second Lieutenant Edward William Richmond Blake was killed in action on the 31st of July 1917. His remains were never identified, possibly because he was left behind in the enclosures, as his platoon was forced to withdraw. The frontlines in the area remained static for the greater part of the offensive and Beek Wood would remain in German hands. Second Lieutenant Edward William Richmond Blake is remembered on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial. He was 20 years old.
Sources 3
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8 Battalion Somerset Light Infantry (The National Archives, KEW (TNA), WO 95/2529/2). https://nationalarchives.gov.uk Further reference |
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McCarthy, Chris. Passchendaele: the Day-by-Day Account (Londen, Unicorn Publishing Group, 2018), pg. 20-21. Sources used |
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Wyrall E., The Somerset Light Infantry 1914-1919 The History of The Somerset Light Infantry (Prince Albert's) 1914-1919 (London, Methuen & co. LTD, 1927), pg. 194-197. Sources used |
More information 3
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Commonwealth War Graves Commission Database https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/928054 |
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Namenlijst (In Flanders Fields Museum) https://namenlijst.org/publicsearch/#/person/_id=03e455be-f5c3-4fb2-bde4-47a5fe77e383 |
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Lives of the First World War (Imperial War Museum) https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/376043 |