Canada, Cef. A Military Medal, 21St Infantry Battalion

(59071 A.L.C. A.S. BLAKE. 21st CAN. INF.). Naming has been erased and re-engraved. Bruised, pitted, contact marks, replacement ribbon, fine.

Footnote: Alfred Sidney Blake was born on June 14, 1893 in Poole, Dorsetshire, England (also acknowledged as Lymington, Hampshire, England), the son of John Blake (of Newport, Isle of Wright, his mother's name not stated but acknowledged as being from Oxford, England). He later immigrated to Canada. He signed his Attestation Paper as a Private (59071) with the 21st Infantry Battalion, on March 18, 1915 in Lindsay, Ontario (officially at Kingston, Ontario on March 17th), at the age of 21, naming his next-of-kin as his wife, Violet Ruth Blake of Toronto, Ontario (later of Kingston and Hamilton, Ontario), stating that he had no previous military service, that he was Married, that his religion was Salvation Army and that his trade was that of Storekeeper.

The Battalion was raised in Eastern Ontario and mobilized in Kingston, Ontario under the authority of G.O. 36, March 15, 1915. The Battalion sailed May 6, 1915 from Montreal, Quebec aboard the HMS Metagama, with a strength of 42 officers and 1,057 other ranks under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel W. St. P. Hughes, arriving in England on the 15th. The Battalion would serve in France and Belgium with the 4th Infantry Brigade, 2nd Canadian Division. Private Blake soon found himself hospitalized, admitted to the Military Hospital at Shorncliffe on June 6, 1915, suffering from "Neurasthenia" (mechanical weakness of the actual nerves), with "a history of fainting spells, but did not lose consciousness entirely". In his Medical Report of an Invalid, dated June 22, 1915 at Shorncliffe, the attending physician noted that Private Blake "Gives a history of being two months in hospital with Neurasthenia five years ago". He was "complaining of (the) loss of sight of (the) right eye", the attending physician was convinced that this was not an issue now. The doctor also stated that "since coming to (the) hospital (he) has been having a form of convulsion" and that he was "Neurotic" He went on to state: "As soon as one set of symptoms disappears, he develops new ones, sometimes his eyes, then his head and heart or his teeth. General health not good. Pale and mentally not right." The doctor recommended that he be discharged as "permanently unfit". The following day, June 23rd, Private Blake was declared "Medically Unfit" by a Medical Board held at Shorncliffe and recommended that he be discharged to Canada. He was struck off strength at West Sandling as "Medically Unfit" on July 2, 1915 and returned to Canada aboard the S.S. Hesperian.

It is stamped in his papers that he had been at the Discharge Depot in Quebec City, Quebec, on July 13, 1915 and October 11, 1915. It was here that a Medical Board recommended him for three months' treatment in a sanatorium and it was approved. He was now without funds to support himself or his family and the treatment in the sanatorium would now assure his continuance of pay. He was subsequently sent to the sanatorium at Muskoka Free Hospital for Consumptives (it was the first free tuberculosis hospital in the world: these centres were dedicated to assisting people in the early stages of lung disease; more advanced cases were refused or sent home). In his Proceedings of a Medical Board, dated February 24, 1916 at Muskoka Free Hospital, the attending physician noted that Private Blake's "General health (is) excellent. Patient has a slight skin lesion over (the) chest, which is caused by irritation of woolens and clears up on treatment." In regards to his chest, the doctor stated that Blake had "no physical signs indicating phthisis" (pulmonary tuberculosis or a similar progressive systemic disease) and that he was "now fit for four hours work per day and gradually increase this to be a full day". His disability was to be at least four weeks, the doctor recommending that "this man would do better now if placed at his own work". Two months later, in his Medical History of an Invalid Report, dated April 20, 1916 and approved on May 17, 1916 at Toronto, Private Blake was declared "healed". The doctor documented that Blake officially had Pulmonary Tuberculosis in May and June of 1915, that he no longer had any disability and that his symptoms had disappeared. The Medical Board stated that "he may undertake duty in Canada but should not proceed overseas". Private Alfred Sidney Blake, 21st Infantry Battalion was officially discharged as "being no longer physically fit for war service", at Military District No. 2 in Toronto, on May 20, 1916, his conduct stated as "Very Good".

Blake re-enlisted as a Private (225824, but was later re-issued with his original service number 59071) with the Depot Regiment, Canadian Mounted Rifles on May 12, 1916, in Toronto. Nine months later, he was granted permission to wear one Good Conduct Stripe on February 6, 1917. He and his wife had a daughter, Lillian Violet Helen Blake, age three months as of October 15, 1917, just before his departure from Canada. Private Blake was part of the 11th Draft of the Canadian Mounted Rifles, embarking from Halifax, Nova Scotia aboard the S.S. Scandinavian on October 20, 1917, arriving in Liverpool, England on November 1st. Upon arrival in England, he was posted to the 8th Reserve Battalion on November 2nd. Four days later, he was admitted to Moore Barracks Hospital on November 6, 1917 for a chest examination and sputum sample. The following Spring, Blake was appointed Acting Lance Corporal while employed with the Bombing Staff on April 1, 1918 and was awarded two Good Conduct Badges on May 21, 1918, having been credited with five years' service. After a little over one year in overseas service, he was placed on command to the Canadian Corps Camp at Kinmel Park, Rhyl, North Wales for return to Canada, on December 3, 1918. He embarked Liverpool aboard the HMT Grampian on December 15th, arriving in Saint John, New Brunswick on the 24th. He made his way to Toronto, where he was posted to the Casualty Company at Exhibition Camp, Military District No. 2. Acting Lance Corporal Alfred Sidney Blake, Canadian Mounted Rifles, 8th Reserve Battalion was discharged upon demobilization at Military District No. 2 in Toronto, on January 21, 1919, credited with having served in Canada and England. For his First World War service, he was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal. There is no mention of his receiving the Military Medal in his records.