Geoffrey Blake (Royal Navy officer)
Encyclopedia
Vice Admiral
Sir Geoffrey Blake, KCB
, DSO
(16 September 1882 – 18 July 1968) was an officer in the Royal Navy
who went on to be Fourth Sea Lord
.
in Hampshire
, the son of Thomas Blake and Fanny Leatry. As a boy, he attended Winchester College
before entering the Royal Navy
in 1897. He served in World War I
and at the Battle of Jutland
, Blake served as gunnery commander aboard HMS Iron Duke
.
In 1919, he was appointed naval attaché in Washington D. C., a position he held until 1921. He was given command of HMS Queen Elizabeth
in 1921 and then became Deputy Director of the Royal Navy Staff College in 1925 going on to be Director of the College in 1926. He was appointed Chief of the Naval Staff for the Atlantic Fleet in 1927 and First Member of the New Zealand Naval Board and Commodore commanding the New Zealand Station
in 1929. He became Fourth Sea Lord and Chief of Supplies and Transport
in 1932 and Vice Admiral commanding the Battle Cruiser Squadron
and Second in Command of the Mediterranean Fleet
with his flag in HMS Hood
in 1936.
He also served in World War II
as an Additional Assistant Chief of Naval Staff from 1940 and as Flag Officer, Liaison to the United States Navy
in Europe from 1942 to 1945.
In retirement he became Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod
.
.
Vice Admiral
Vice admiral is a senior naval rank of a three-star flag officer, which is equivalent to lieutenant general in the other uniformed services. A vice admiral is typically senior to a rear admiral and junior to an admiral...
Sir Geoffrey Blake, KCB
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
, DSO
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
(16 September 1882 – 18 July 1968) was an officer in the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
who went on to be Fourth Sea Lord
Fourth Sea Lord
The Fourth Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Supplies was formerly one of the Naval Lords and members of the Board of Admiralty which controlled the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom.-History:...
.
Naval career
Blake was born at AlverstokeAlverstoke
Alverstoke is a parish in the borough of Gosport, Hampshire, England, that encompasses land stretching from Haslar to Stokes Bay. Alverstoke lies within half a mile of the shore of Stokes Bay and near the head of a creek which extends a mile westward from Portsmouth Harbour...
in Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
, the son of Thomas Blake and Fanny Leatry. As a boy, he attended Winchester College
Winchester College
Winchester College is an independent school for boys in the British public school tradition, situated in Winchester, Hampshire, the former capital of England. It has existed in its present location for over 600 years and claims the longest unbroken history of any school in England...
before entering the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
in 1897. He served in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and at the Battle of Jutland
Battle of Jutland
The Battle of Jutland was a naval battle between the British Royal Navy's Grand Fleet and the Imperial German Navy's High Seas Fleet during the First World War. The battle was fought on 31 May and 1 June 1916 in the North Sea near Jutland, Denmark. It was the largest naval battle and the only...
, Blake served as gunnery commander aboard HMS Iron Duke
HMS Iron Duke (1912)
HMS Iron Duke was a battleship of the Royal Navy, the lead ship of her class, named in honour of Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington. She served as the flagship of the Grand Fleet during the First World War, including at the Battle of Jutland...
.
In 1919, he was appointed naval attaché in Washington D. C., a position he held until 1921. He was given command of HMS Queen Elizabeth
HMS Queen Elizabeth (1913)
HMS Queen Elizabeth was the lead ship of the Queen Elizabeth-class of dreadnought battleships, named in honour of Elizabeth I of England. She saw service in both World Wars...
in 1921 and then became Deputy Director of the Royal Navy Staff College in 1925 going on to be Director of the College in 1926. He was appointed Chief of the Naval Staff for the Atlantic Fleet in 1927 and First Member of the New Zealand Naval Board and Commodore commanding the New Zealand Station
Royal New Zealand Navy
The Royal New Zealand Navy is the maritime arm of the New Zealand Defence Force...
in 1929. He became Fourth Sea Lord and Chief of Supplies and Transport
Fourth Sea Lord
The Fourth Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Supplies was formerly one of the Naval Lords and members of the Board of Admiralty which controlled the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom.-History:...
in 1932 and Vice Admiral commanding the Battle Cruiser Squadron
Battlecruiser Squadron (United Kingdom)
The Battlecruiser Squadron was a Royal Navy squadron of battlecruisers that saw service from 1919 to the early part of the Second World War.- Formation :...
and Second in Command of the Mediterranean Fleet
Mediterranean Fleet
Several countries have or have had a Mediterranean Fleet in their navy. See:* Mediterranean Fleet * French Mediterranean Fleet* Mediterranean Squadron * United States Sixth Fleet...
with his flag in HMS Hood
HMS Hood (51)
HMS Hood was the last battlecruiser built for the Royal Navy. One of four s ordered in mid-1916, her design—although drastically revised after the Battle of Jutland and improved while she was under construction—still had serious limitations. For this reason she was the only ship of her class to be...
in 1936.
He also served in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
as an Additional Assistant Chief of Naval Staff from 1940 and as Flag Officer, Liaison to the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
in Europe from 1942 to 1945.
In retirement he became Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod
Black Rod
The Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod, generally shortened to just Black Rod, is an official in the parliaments of several Commonwealth countries. The position originates in the House of Lords of the Parliament of the United Kingdom...
.
Family
In 1911 he married Jean St. John Carr; they had two daughters., one of whom married the historian John EhrmanJohn Ehrman
John Patrick William Ehrman FBA was a British historian, most notable for his three-volume biography of William Pitt the Younger....
.