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Sherborne School, UK, Book of Remembrance for former pupils who died in the Second World War, 1939-1945.
If you have any additional information about this individual, or if you use one of our images, we would love to hear from you. Please leave a comment below or contact us via the Sherborne School Archives website: oldshirburnian.org.uk/school-archives/contact-the-school-...
Credit: Sherborne School Archives, Abbey Road, Sherborne, Dorset, UK, DT9 3AP.g
Details: John Philip Blake, born on 17 November 1917 at Portsmouth, Hampshire.
Son of Philip Blake, Dental Surgeon, and Marjorie Flora Blake (née Down), of Wade Cottage, Havant, Hampshire, formerly of Cambridge House, High Street, Havant, Hampshire.
Siblings:
Elizabeth Marjorie Blake.
David Eustace Blake (1925-2015) was educated at Aldenham School before attending Guy’s Hospital Dental School, after which he had a dental practice in Portsmouth. He represented Hampshire and the Marylebone Cricket Club in first-class cricket. In WW2 he served in the Royal Engineers as a second lieutenant. In 1956 he transferred to the Royal Army Dental Corps as lieutenant.
Attended Emsworth Prep School: Head of School; Captain of Games.
Attended Aldenham School, Elstree, Hertfordshire: Head of School; Head of House; Captain of Cricket; School colours for Fives and Hockey.
St John's College, Cambridge; Cricket Blue (represented Cambridge University 1938-1939); member of the University Wanderers Hockey Club and of the Hawks Club; captain of cricket and hockey at St Johns.
Played for Hampshire XI, 1937-1939.
In Michaelmas term 1939 employed as an Assistant Master (Mathematics) at Sherborne School and lodging at Acre House, Acreman Street. Played for Hampshire XI (1937-1939) in fourteen first-class matches, scoring 328 runs at an average of 13.66, with a high score of 48.
WW2, Temporary Lieutenant (Acting Temporary Captain), No.43 Royal Marines Commando.
He was commissioned in the Royal Marines in December 1939 as a temporary second lieutenant, before being appointed a temporary lieutenant in March 1940. He took part in the failed Battle of Dakar, also known as Operation Menace, an unsuccessful attempt in September 1940 to capture the port of Dakar in French West Africa (now Senegal). In October 1941 he was appointed a temporary captain. In 1943 he joined the newly-formed 43 Commando with whom he took part in the Anzio landings in January 1944, alongside no.9 Commando. He was awarded the Military Cross for his outstanding gallantry and leadership shown while serving with the 43rd R.M. Commando in the attack on Monte Ornito on 3 February 1944.
His Military Cross citation (June 1944) reads:
'Temporary Lieutenant (A/Captain) John Philip BLAKE, Royal Marines. For outstanding gallantry and leadership shown while serving with the 43rd Royal Marine Commando in the attack which led to the capture of Mt Ortino, Italy on 3rd February 1944. On reaching the top of the Mount, through heavy machine gun fire, without hesitation and heedless of the danger from grenades, he led the forward section of his Troop in a bayonet charge on the enemy position and captured 20 prisoners. Later in the day during a strong enemy counter attack, this gallant officer moved from position to position encouraging his men and directing their fire. MC-LG 27 June 1944.'
Died on 3 June 1944 in an attack by 43 Commando on the island of Brač in German-occupied Yugoslavia, when, having successfully led his men through a minefield, he was killed during a German counter-attack.
Of twelve members of Sherborne School teaching staff who served in the Second World War, John Philip Blake was the only casualty.
Commemorated at:
Belgrade War Cemetery, Serbia, 9. E. 7. Inscription on headstone: ‘B.A. (CANTAB) BELOVED ELDER SON OF PHILIP AND MARJORIE BLAKE, HAVANT, HANTS, ENGLAND’ www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2224035/BLAKE,%20JOHN...
On a lectern at St Faith's Church, Havant, Hampshire dopcms.rockitg.com/stfaithshavant/lectern/
Commando Association, Officers of 43 RM Commando: gallery.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/units/Royal+Mar...
Obituary, The Shirburnian, March 1945:
Captain John Philip Blake, M.C. (Royal Marines). John Blake came to Sherborne as a teacher of Mathematics in September 1939, spending only one term here before joining the Royal Marines. He was present at the Dakar incident and remained in the tropics for a large part of 1940-41 before being transferred to the Mediterranean. In July 1943, he joined the 43rd R.M. Commando and commanded a troop of 70 men. He went to Italy in January 1944, was awarded the Military Cross "for his outstanding gallantry and leadership shown while serving with the 43rd R.M. Commando in the attack on Mt. Ornito on 3rd February"; was present at the Anzio landing, and later crossed over to the Dalmatian Islands. He returned to Italy and on 13th June was reported missing as the result of leading an attack on a German strong point. His death in action was confirmed at the beginning of August.
Few will ever know the tremendous loss the School has sustained. It is hard to realise that such a splendid personality will not return to give us of his best, as it was his impatient desire to be able to do.
The essence of John Blake's character was naturalness and simplicity. His successes at school and university were more than enough to turn his head, but he never showed the slightest sign of conceit nor any desire to find his friends chiefly from among the athletically successful. He was Head of his Preparatory School at Emsworth and captain of all games; Head of the School and of Mead's House at Aldenham, where he was also captain of cricket and a school colour for fives and hockey. At Cambridge he won his Blue for cricket, was a member of the University Wanderers Hockey Club and of the Hawks Club, and was captain of Cricket and Hockey at St. John's. But no one would ever learn these things from his own lips. Amongst his own interests cricket stood out pre-eminently. All his letters to me contained some reference to it, no matter what time of year it might be. Sound and stylish bat though he was, it was his fielding which most impressed and gave such pleasure to all who saw him play. Whether he was playing for Cambridge or Hampshire or in some club match or on the village green, it was equally keen and polished, a perfect expression of himself. He had a most retentive brain and great powers of concentration.
But the most outstanding features of his life were his deep devotion to his family and to his faith and the enormous enjoyment he got out of life and friendship. He made friends wherever he went, for he entered whole-heartedly into the joys and sorrows of others in a natural way. All his officers stressed that he was a born leader of men and that all his men were so proud of him and so fond of him and talked of his outstanding personality. Perhaps the words of his Commanding Officer to his parents sum him up as well as words can: "John's loss to you is irreparable, as it is to the Corps and to the nation - an officer of his quality is quite irreplaceable".
R.S. Thompson (Housemaster of Westcott House 1936-1952)
Old Shirburnian Society Annual Report, November 1944:
'Blake, John Philip, M.C. (Staff), was educated at Aldenham where he was Head of the School and Captain of the XI. He later went to St John's College, Cambridge and was Captain of the College Cricket and Hockey teams. He obtained a cricket blue in 1939. He joined the Staff at Sherborne in 1939 but left on being gazetted to the Royal Marines being attached to the Commandos. He was awarded the Military Cross for outstanding gallantry and leadership in the attack which led to the capture of Mount Ormito in February last. He was reported Missing in June last and is now known to have lost his life.'
Headmaster’s Letter to Parents and Governors, July 1945:
‘We shall miss sadly John Blake, Captain, Royal Marines who was killed in Italy leading his platoon against a German strongpoint. He had already shown himself to be a most gallant and capable officer and his services had been rewarded by the award of the Military Cross. Although John Blake had only been one term at Sherborne before he joined up he had already endeared himself to all of us here and shown that he was going to be a really fine schoolmaster and a brilliant teacher of Mathematics.’
5 Likes on Instagram
9 Comments on Instagram:
emmiedooandrydentoo: LOVE!!!
jacobevanandmama: @supermomto2boys @emweezy i love it! they even threw in some pearl earrings. I don't have pierced ears tho lol.
greektwins_527: I know your pain. I have gauged ears.
emmiedooandrydentoo: Haha well go get them pierced! I used to have 3 holes in each ear but let the other two close up.
jacobevanandmama: @emweezy I've had them pierced 12x they don't stay open lol
onceupon_thetwins: I know this is a few days late but I haven't had earrings in my ears in over 2 years and the wholes are still open it's crazy.
onceupon_thetwins: Oh and your ring is super pretty!
jacobevanandmama: @onceupon_thetwins I haven't had earrings in since Evan was born. They might be open. I haven't tried haha. And thank you! I love it :). It matches my tattoo :)
Thank you to all for your comments, faves, notes and expos!.-
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A little something different today as my Flickr stats tell me I've hit 250,000 total views. Quarter of a million visits in a little under four years make me happy.
I figured I'd have a look back at what Flickr tells me are my most 'popular' photos according to their four measures — interesting, views, favourites and comments.
So here are my nine most 'commented' shots. A bit more colour here, with only one mono photo putting in an appearance. Two taken at an airshow, three during a brief excursion to London last year, two through the living room window, one shot round the corner and one still life.
Thanks for your views, everyone — very much appreciated.
1. IMG_1742, 2. IMG_9652, 3. IMG_9969, 4. IMG_2041, 5. IMG_6368, 6. IMG_4687, 7. IMG_0497a, 8. IMG_9783x, 9. IMG_1967
68 Likes on Instagram
7 Comments on Instagram:
gregweir: #golden #goldenretriever #pets #tuxedo #cat #dogsofinstagram #dog #friends #playful #eavig #capebreton #pet #petstagram #petsagram #pet
gregweir: I don't normally post a series of pics but I love how well these two get along or at least how patient our dog is.
jchmmm: So cute.
gregweir: Thanks @jchmmm they are both pampered pets.
sarahlynn2488: My golden lets my cat rub on his nose too!
joanstewart1: They are lovely.....
pamrumer: Golden's have the best temperaments. I've never seen another dog as patient as a Golden. @gregweir
When i was a child on some sundays we used to come here and eat "pastelitos de guayaba"
please comment!
Comments always appreciated, as long as you keep it clean - I love to hear your feedback! xx
I went for a weekend visiting Gemma in Derby.
Saturday morning we went to visit the breathtaking Dovedale. I simply adore this place.
Sadly due to so much rain this year, the stepping stones were closed, and when we got to them, we couldn't even reach them to go walking on the path beyond because the river had flooded the path!
We ended up coming home early but it was still stunning and beautiful.
Comments always appreciated, as long as you keep it clean - I love to hear your feedback! xx
I went for a visit to Derby for their comedy festival and to spend the weekend with Gemma.
Saturday morning we went to Belper to the river gardens and the horseshoe weir, which is an incredible piece of civil engineering!
The gardens are lovely and tranquil. It was a great little alternative to our usual trip to Dovedale - which we called off because the weather wasn't great.
Had a lovely morning though!
Comments always appreciated, as long as you keep it clean - I love to hear your feedback! xx
New Year's Eve was a great night. We started off in the Scale and Feather in the Old Town, and from there went to Humber Social for a New Year's 80s night. Awesome!
We were joined by friends Andrew and Rebekah.
There was a free drink for each of us when we arrived at Humber Social, and it was lovely to see the beautiful Ellie behind the bar. She was so lovely to me and Gemma when we first started going in there.
All in all, a brilliant night!
Steve Brodie became famous in 1886 as the first person to survive a jump off the Brooklyn Bridge, but it's far from clear that he ever actually jumped. Many believed he had someone throw a dummy off the bridge while he swam out toward the spot where it landed, surfacing near a boat that pulled him out of the water. Whether or not he really did the deed, he took full advantage of the celebrity that came his way as a result, opening a successful bar that traded on his reputation and starring in a play that climaxed with him leaping off the bridge to save a girl's life. And his name lived on long after he did. In 1949, almost half a century after his passing, he was the subject of a Bugs Bunny cartoon. Watch it here!
(Curiously, an 1886 NY Times account of his supposed feat described him, without any further elaboration, as a "long-distance pedestrian".)
UPDATE: As the Fensk pointed out, his wife's name was, quite appropriately, Bridget!