KIA – Arthur Giles Blake

Transcript

KILLED IN AN AIR BATTLE

Attacked a Nazi with a Crippled Machine

RECOMMENDED FOR D.F.C.

We regret to record the death on active service of Sub-Lieutenant Arthur Giles Blake, Fleet Air Arm, the youngest child of Mr. and Mrs. J. H. L. Blake, of 19 Langley Road, Slough. He was twenty-three.

Arthur Blake was one of those young men to whom the Prime Minister’s words “Never has so so much been owed by so many to so few can be specially applied, and in whom the spirit which is winning the war of freedom for Britain shines most brightly.

Squadron-Leader’s Tribute.

It was on Tuesday, 29th October, during an air fight against large numbers of German raiders over this country, that he was killed, after he had accounted for at least two enemy machines. Before this he had been in almost continuous action as the pilot of a fighter aeroplane, and it is known that he had brought down a number of Nazis. What he himself did not know was that he had been recommended for the D.F.C. for a feat which is described by his Squadron-Leader in these words: “He attacked one enemy aircraft and shot it down, but his own aircraft was badly hit in the engine. The cockpit was filled with oil and smoke, and the plane was liable to catch fire at any moment. He opened the hood to clear the smoke and then proceeded to attack another Hun, which he also shot down. I don’t think many pilots would have stuck it as he did under the circumstances“. In the letter which gave these details, the Squadron-Leader also said, “He showed wonderful dash and courage, in addition to being an exceptional pilot. I offer my deepest sympathy and that of the squadron in the loss of a very fine gentleman“.

Arthur Blake was very well known both in Windsor and Slough. He was educated at the Slough Secondary School, leaving just before the present Grammar School premises were taken over, and was always prominent on the sports field, besides doing extremely well in some of the dramatic performances which were given. When he left, he was captain of Herschel House and senior N.C.O. of the cadet corps. Afterwards he went to I.C.L. for a time, but continued his sporting activities by joining Windsor Rugby Club and the Excelsior Rowing Club. With the latter club he was stroke of the eight two years ago, when it was regarded as one of the outstanding crews at Henley, and after a brilliant week, narrowly failed to win the final of the Thames Challenge Cup. Before the war broke out he left the I.C.I. to join the Fleet Air Arm for a career, and he quickly gained his wings. He took part in many actions and lately had been temporarily attached to the R.A.F.

His Friend.

One of his greatest friends, Sub-Lieut. “Dick” Cork, D.F.C., D.8.C., of Burnham, is also in the Fleet Air Arm, and, although they are not attached to the same squadron, they had a unique experience while the Nazi air attack on Britain was at its height. Blake, piloting a Spitfire, landed at an aerodrome in the South for repairs, and almost at the same time a Hurricane landed, its pilot having been wounded. The second pilot descended from his machine, and was none other than “Dick” Cork.

Last year Sub-Lieutenant Blake represented his squadron at the banquet in London, which was attended by the King after his ride down the river to Greenwich, attended by the King in the Royal motor launch.

Representatives of the R.A.F. attended the funeral, at St. Mary’s Church, Langley, on Wednesday, and acted as under bearers. A guard of honour was formed by cadets from Slough Grammar School, who also sounded the Last Post and a Rouse, bugle calls which Sub-Lieutenant Blake himself always used to sound at school camps. The family mourners and others present included Mr. and Mrs. J. H. L. Blake (parents), Mr. and Mrs. J. H. L. Blake, jun. (brother and sister-in-law), Mrs. Bayes, Mrs. McKenna, Mrs. Barltrop and Mrs. J. Powell (sisters), Mr. J. Powell (brother-in-law), Mr. J. Powell, sen., Mr. E. R. Clarke (head master, Slough Grammar School), Squadron-Leader B. J. Lane, Sub-Lieutenant R. Cork, Mrs. Watson, sen., Mrs. Watson, jun., Mrs. D. Harrison, Mrs. Cork, Mrs. Funnell, Miss M. Funnell, Miss J. Harrington, Mr. C. Dyson and Mr. V. Hobbs (representing the Excelsior Rowing Club), and many others. The large number of wreaths included tributes from the Grammar School, the Rowing Club and the Windsor Rugby Club, as well as two from the Squadron to which Sub-Lieutenant Blake had been attached.

Images

Curator's Notes

Arthur Giles Blake was born on 16th September 1917 in Northumberland, the son of John Henry Laws Blake (1871-1942) and Mary Jayne Blake (nee Carson 1875-1968). [source: BBM London Monument]

Arthur was killed on 29th October 1940 while still serving with 19 Squadron when his aircraft (number P7423 and markings QY-Y) was shot down by one or more German aircraft, and crashed at Oak Lodge in New London Road, Chelmsford at 5.12 pm. [source: Chelmsford War Memorial]

Sub-Lieutenant (Air) Arthur Giles Blake – a pilot with the Royal Navy’s Fleet Air Arm and nicknamed ‘Admiral’ after Admiral Robert Blake, the 17th century English naval commander – was shot down and killed on 29 October in the last days of the Battle of Britain. He was one f 23 pilots from the Navy flying for the Air Force. [source: Volunteer London Blog]

Arthur was educated at Slough Grammar School, he joined the Windsor Rugby Club and in 1936 the Eton Excelsior Rowing Club, In 1934 he joined Naylor Brothers of Slough, then in 1938 applied for commissions in the Royal Navy, with a view to flying in the Fleet Air Arm. [source: Basildon Heritage]

At Henley Regatta he rowed with the Eton Excelsior eight that included Brian Cork as cox, Arthur as stroke and Richard Cork as number two. It is part of an excellent biography by Tim Hillier-Graves with photos of Blake’s time flying [source:Key Aero website].

He had 4.5 kills confirmed of 7 claims (2 HE111 and 5 ME109). [source: Regimental Art website]

“Arthur Giles Blake was one of the Royal Navy’s Fleet Air Arm pilots seconded to the RAF for the Battle of Britain. He joined No. 19 Squadron on 1 July 1940. Unsurprisingly, he was known to his fellow pilots as ‘Admiral’. He was killed in action on 29 October 1940.” [source: IWM website]

“On 3rd September Blake damaged a Me110, on the 9th he destroyed a He111, on the 15th he destroyed a Me109, shared a He111 and damaged a Do17 and on the 17th he destroyed two more Me109’s.” [source: All Spitfire Pilots website]

He is buried in Langley Marish (St Mary) Churchyard, Slough (13.3). [source: CWGC website]

Curator's References

“Sub/Lt.(FAA) A G Blake” on the Battle of Britain London Memorial website. [accessed 1 Aug 2026]

“Arthur Giles BLAKE, Sub-Lieutenant (Pilot), Royal Navy” on the Chelmsford War Memorial website. [accessed 1 Aug 2026]

“A Royal Navy Spitfire pilot in the Battle of Britain” on the Volunteer London Blog. [accessed 1 Aug 2026]

“Road Names- Blake Avenue” on the Basildon Heritage website. [accessed 1 Aug 2026]

“Battle of Britain’s Forgotten Few – A Brave Aviator” on the Key Aero website. [accessed 1 Aug 2026]

“Arthur Giles Blake“on the Regimental Art website [accessed 1 Aug 2026]

“Pilots of the Battle of Britain” on the IWM website. [accessed 1 Aug 2026]

“BLAKE, Arthur Giles“on the All Spitfire Pilots website [accessed 1 Aug 2026]

“Sub-Lieutenant (A) Arthur Giles Blake” on the CWGC website. [accessed 1 Aug 2026]

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