Robert Henry Blake

Robert Henry Blake

Personal Information
Date of Birth	9 Jun 1880
Place of Birth	Wentworth, New South Wales
Death	1 Sep 1960, aged 80
Place of Death	Ravensthorpe, Western Australia
Age at Enlistment	35 years, 6 months
Description	5'5½" (1.66m) tall ; 123 lbs 55.792 kg ; medium complexion ; blue eyes ; brown hair
Occupation	Grocer's assistant
Religion	Church of England
Address	NOK Mundijong, Western Australia
Next of Kin	Father , Mr Andrew James Blake
Military Information
Reg Number	6052
Date of Enlistment	4 Feb 1916
Rank	Private
Unit/Formation	28th Battalion, 17th Reinforcement / 7th Brigade, 2nd Division
Date of Embarkation	9 Nov 1916 ‒ 10 Jan 1917
Ship Embarked On	HMAT A8 Argyllshire
Date of Return	16 Jun 1919 ‒ 24 Jul 1919
Ship Returned On	RMS Ormonde
Fate	Returned to Australia
Monument	Mundijong Honour Roll
Medals	British War Medal Victory Medal

Pre War

Electoral Roll entries - 1910 coach driver in Norseman; 1916 a labourer in Norseman. Enlisted in Esperance.

War Service

On joining the Blackboy Hill camp, Robert spends several months in depot Companies before being allocated on 11 Aug 1916 to the 23rd reinforcement draft for the 16th Battalion, later on 4 September changed to the 22nd draft, and later again to the 17th reinforcement draft for the 28th Battalion. He sailed form Fremantle aboard HMAT A8 Argyllshire on 9 Nov 1916, and disembarked in Devonport on 10 Jan 1917 and was allocated to the 7th Training Battalion at Rollestone.

While training with them, on 14 Mar 1917 he was admitted to Park House Hospital with mumps. Recovered on 1 Apr 1917, he was sent overseas to France via Folkestone on 25 Apr 1917. After a week or so in the base at Étaples he was sent to join the 28th Battalion. On 2 May 1917 he was one of 132 men taken on strength by them which then participated in an attack on German Hindenberg Line on 3/4 May near Noreuil known as 2nd Bullecourt. Over the next 48 hours the battalion suffered 169 casualties. Robert was admitted to the 7th Field Ambulance with myalgia on 16 Aug 1917 before being released to his unit on 22 Jul 1917.

At the time of the Armistice the battalion was resting and rebuilding in the small village of Berteaucourt, north-west of Amiens. Soon after the Armistice the 28th Battalion and the rest of the Australian 7th Brigade is initially earmarked as part of the British 4th Army to relocate to Coblenz as part of the Army of Occupation. They began their move on 23 Nov 1918, travelling through Amiens and Peronne by train, and then marched via stops at Busigny, Ribeauville, Grand Fayt, Beaufort, and Cousolre into Belgium. At this point it was decided that the Australian troops would not proceed into Germany, but wait in Belgium for their return to Australia, with the 28th Battalion basing itself in Marcinelle, some 2 miles from the large industrial city of Charleroi.

Apart from leave in England during February 1918, and to to Paris in October 1918, along with a short spell in hospital with Myalgia from 16 - 22 Aug 1917, Robert remained with the battalion until 3 Apr 1919 when he began preparations for his return to Australia where he was discharged by the 5th Military District on 31 Aug 1919.

Post War

In early 1920 at Esperance Robert married Jane H Gibson. Electoral Roll entries - 1925 a grazier at Munglinup; 1937 - 1958 a pastoralist at Ravensthorpe.

External Links

• AIF Project
• RSL Memorial