Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Second World War C.B. group of ten awarded to Major-General Gilbert Alan Blake, Royal Army Medical Corps

The Most Honourable Order of the Bath, C.B. (Military) Companion’s neck badge, silver-gilt and enamel, with neck cravat; 1914-15 Star (Capt., R.A.M.C.); British War and Victory Medals (Capt.); India General Service 1908-35, 1 clasp, Afghanistan N.W.F. 1919 (Lt-Col., R.A.M.C.); 1939-45 Star; Defence and War Medals, M.I.D. oak leaf; Jubilee 1935; Coronation 1937, these unnamed, mounted as worn, good very fine (10) £600-700

Gilbert Alan Blake was born on 9 January 1887 at Grove Park, Lee, Kent. He was educated at Eastbourne College and Guy’s Hospital where he received his medical training and gained the M.B. B.S. London, 1911; M.R.C.S. Eng., L.R.C.P. London, 1911. Entering the Army, he was commissioned a Lieutenant in the R.A.M.C. in January 1912 and was advanced to Captain in March 1915. He served in India, 1914-21 and Afghanistan 1919, serving as a C.O. of a Field Ambulance, May-September 1919, and C.O. of 2 Field Ambulance, April-July 1921. He received the brevet of Major in January 1920, holding that temporary rank, May 1920-January 1921 and confirmed in that rank, January 1924. He was Acting Lieutenant-Colonel, May-September 1919 and April-July 1921 and was promoted to that rank in May 1934 and to Colonel in July 1939. Between the wars he served in Egypt, 1926-31 and India, 1933-38 and was C.O. of the B.M.H. Rawalpindi, 1937-38 and of B.M.H. Murree, 1938. Blake was appointed A.D.M.S. H.Q. Eastern Command, 1938-40; D.D.M.S. H.Q. 2 L. of C. Area, February-April 1940; A.D.M.S. H.Q. NWEF (Norway), April-May 1940; Commandant No. 1 Depot R.A.M.C. 1940-41, and D.D.M.S. H.Q. Western Command, 1941-46. With these appointments he was promoted Acting Major-General, November 1941; and Major-General, May 1942. For his wartime services he was mentioned in despatches for the Norway campaign (London Gazette 20 December 1940) and later awarded the C.B. (London Gazette 8 June 1944). He was further honoured by being appointed Honorary Surgeon to the King in 1942. Retiring from the Army in 1946, he retired to Hartley Wintney, Hampshire, where he died on 7 August 1971. With copied research.