Name: William Henry Blake
Known as:
Date of Birth: before 1867
Place of Birth: Ireland
Date of Death: post 1901, on or prior to 1906
Place of Death: Brisbane, Queensland ?
Rank & Details: –
Additional information:
Carol Andrews, a relative of William, tells us that:
In 1884 he was one of a party who met with Sir Samuel Griffith (during the time which) a Naval Defence Force for Queensland was agreed, and Lt Walton Drake appointed.
He (William) had been instructor to the Townsville Naval Brigade in 1887, but resigned due to illness (Johnstone River fever)
In 1897 he returned from several years in customs in China and was given a commission as Chief Gunner in the Queensland Marine Defence Force at Townsville.
Capt Cresswell was appointed in 1900 and they both then served aboard the HMAS Protector when it entered the Chinese Boxer Rebellion.
Thanks: Carol Andrews (1st Cousin, 3 x removed) for the information and thoroughly enjoyable book.
(The following will be completed in more detail, in due course. Anyone reading the book is welcome to contribute to the timeline, via email or the contact page)
Based on his own book
arr: Brisbane “a few days before Christmas” 1900.
Dec 1900/Jan 1901 – placed at his own request on the unattached list of the Queensland Marine Defence Force.
He was still unattached in Brisbane as at the date of writing his book – (published 1906 evidently after his death).