Today | News | Books | Recipes Adventure | Science Fiction | Ghost stories | Poetry | Children | History BookNational School; enlisted in April, 1909, promoted Sergt., Nov. 1914, served with the Expeditionary Force in France and Flanders, and was killed in action on the Rossitier Road in the Village of Zonnebeke, five or six miles from Ypres, 14 Nov. 1914; _unm._ [Illustration: =Sergt. William Black.=] =BLACK, WILLIAM=, Private, No. 22764, 11th Battn. The Royal Scots, 2nd _s._ of George Black, of Buckhaven, by his wife, Helen, dau. of Adam Addison; _b._ Howtown, co. Clackmannan; educ. Cowdenbeath, Fife; was a miner; enlisted 9 May, 1915, and was killed in action near St. Julien, 15 Oct. 1915, by the explosion of a mine under the trench where he was on sentry duty. He _m._ at Buckhaven, Fife, 1 Jan. 1908, Isabella Gordon (Randolph Street, Buckhaven), dau. of George Cargill, and had three children: George Gordon, _b._ 22 Feb. 1909; William, _b._ 26 March, 1915; and Mary Keddie, _b._ 6 Aug. 1911. =BLACKBURN, EDWARD=, Private, No. 12548, 1st Battn. Coldstream Guards; _b._ York; served with the Expeditionary Force in France, etc.; killed in action at Richebourg, 12 March, 1915; _m._ =BLACKBURN, HORACE=, Private, No. 8393, 2nd Battn. Scots Guards, _s._ of (--) Blackburn, of 5, Sheridan Street, Wakefield Road, Bradford; _b._ Bradford; enlisted 31 Aug. 1912, aged 21; served with the Expeditionary Force in France, etc.; reported wounded and missing, 20 Oct. 1914. =BLACKBURN, JOSEPH EDWARD=, Leading Seaman, 226195, H.M.S. Hogue; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914. =BLACKER, CECIL FRANCIS=, Lieut., 2nd Battn. Connaught Rangers, yr. _s._ of Major Frederick Henry Blacker, late 4th Queen's Own Hussars, by his wife, Anna, dau. of Sir Joseph Bazalgette, C.B.; _b._ ...; educ. May Place, Malvern Wells, and Wellington College, Berks (Purnell's 1903-06); was at the R.M.C. 1908, entered the Army, Nov. 1909, gazetted Lieut. Jan. 1911, being 2nd in command of the Brigade Cyclist Corps when he went to the Front. He was severely wounded at the Battle of Mons, 23 Aug. 1914, and died at Netley Hospital, 6 Sept. following; he was buried at Maudins, Naas; _unm._ =BLACKER, GEORGE FREDERICK=, 2nd Lieut., 3rd, attached "A" Coy. 2nd, Battn. Northamptonshire Regt., only _s._ of Arthur Edward Blacker, L.R.C.P., L.R.C.S., by his wife, Harriet Sophia Williams, dau. of the late Henry Robbins Dew, M.R.C.S., L.R.C.P., Assistant Staff Surgeon to Lord Raglan in the Crimean War, and gdson. of the late George Frederick Blacker, of Midsomer Norton, M.R.C.S., L.S.A.; _b._ Bristol, 13 July, 1893; educ. Bristol Grammar School, was at the outbreak of war about to commence his medical studies, but at once applied for a commission and was gazetted to the Northamptons from the Bristol O.T.C., 28 Oct. 1914. He went to the Front, 30 March, and was killed in action at the Battle of Aubers Ridge, 9 May, 1915; _unm._ He was at first reported missing, but later his body was recovered and buried near an orchard about 300 yards south-west of the junction of Rue Petillon and the road from Sailly to Fromelles. The delay in recovering his body was due to the fact that the spot where he fell was in the open near the enemy's lines, and was fiercely contested for many days. All the five officers in his company were killed on the same day, and most of the men were either killed or wounded by maxim gun fire in what his commanding officer described as: "a very gallant attempt to close with the enemy." 2nd Lieut. G. F. Friendship, writing on behalf of the commanding officer to Dr. Blacker, said that: "Blacker with his Coy. took part in an attack we made on the German lines. As the Northamptons attacked, they were met by a perfect hail of bullets, machine and rifle fire. Nothing could live in it, and I am sorry to say, we lost a big number of men and officers. Your son acted most gallantly and was seen, before he was hit, shouting to his men to come on"; and Lieut. H. W. Carritt, one of the very few officers who came safely through that terrible charge, states that Lieut. Blacker led his platoon bravely, choosing the dangerous flank, and sending his sergt. to lead that which was less perilous. He died close to the enemy's position in a brave attempt to lead his men over what proved practically insurmountable obstacles." [Illustration: =George F. Blacker.=] =BLACKER, WALTER=, Shipwright, 1st Class, 345996, H.M.S. Good Hope; lost in the action off Coronel, on the coast of Chili, 1 Nov. 1914. =BLACKETT, WILLIAM STEWART BURDETT=, of Arbigland, co. Dumfries, and Manton Grange, Oakham, co. Rutland, Capt., Leicestershire Yeomanry, late Grenadier Guards, eldest _s._ of the late Capt. Archibald Campbell Steuart Blackett, R.N., by his wife, Clara Blanche Harriet, eldest dau. of Lieut.-Col. Charles Sedley Burdett, Coldstream Guards, and nephew and heir of Christopher Edward Blackett, of Arbigland, J.P., Lieut.-Col. 26th and 93rd Regts. and Coldstream Guards [a cadet of the family of Blackett, of Wylam, co. Northumberland]; _b._ London, 24 Oct. 1873; educ. Wellington and Sandhurst; joined the 3rd Grenadier Guards 8 May, 1895, becoming Lieut. 12 Feb. 1898, and Capt. 1901. He served through the South African War, 1899-1902, in the 8th Division under General Rundle, was present at the Battle of Biddulphsberg, and received the Queen's medal with two clasps and the King's with two clasps. He retired in 1903, but on the outbreak of war joined the Leicestershire Yeomanry, and was gazetted 15 Aug. 1914. He went to France with the Expeditionary Force, was wounded in action near Ypres on 20 Nov. 1914, and died in a French hospital at Poperinghe 24 Nov. following, and was buried there. He _m._ at Staplestown Church, Carlow, 6 April, 1907, Kathleen Prudence Eirene (Arbigland, Dumfries), dau. of Beauchamp Frederick Bagenal, of Benekerry House, co. Carlow, D.L., and had a son, Christopher William Stewart Blackett, now of Arbigland, _b._ 27 April, 1908. [Illustration: =William S. B. Blackett.=] =BLACKLAY, FRANCIS PETTICREW=, Private, No. 21065, 16th Battn. (Canadian Scottish), Canadian Expeditionary Force, _s._ of James Blacklay, of 13, Marlborough Street, Londonderry, Managing Director of William Thompson & Co., Ltd., Londonderry; _b._ Londonderry, 5 May, 1893; educ. Foyle College there; and on leaving there went to Canada and entered the employ of the Canadian Bank of Commerce at Winnipeg, being later transferred to Longham and Delisle, Sask. This he left in April, 1915, to join the Canadian Expeditionary Force. He was killed in action, 26 Oct. 1915, while on duty round a German battleplane which had fallen in the British lines, and was buried near Wulverghem; _unm._ =BLACKLEY, JOHN=, L.-Corpl., No. 657, 3rd Battn. The Royal Scots, _s._ of the late William Blackley, Shiprigger, by his wife, Phyllis, dau. of Robert Muir, Gardener; _b._ Edinburgh, 5 April, 1887; educ. London Road National School there; enlisted about 1906, and was killed in action at Wolverehem, 11 Sept. 1914. He _m._ at Leith, 15 Feb. 1909, Mary Ellen, 4th dau. of Andrew Dal |