Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- [1914-1945] (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
1ft; 30cm
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Blake entered the Navy in 1897, was made a lieutenant in 1904, specialising in gunnery and was promoted to commander in 1914. Between 1914 and 1918 he served in the Grand Fleet flagships IRON DUKE and QUEEN ELIZABETH as Fleet Gunnery Commander and Executive Officer respectively. In 1918 he was promoted to captain and served as Naval Attache in Washington between 1919 and 1921. From 1921 to 1923 he commanded QUEEN ELIZABETH and from 1923 he served on the staff of the War College for two years. Between 1925 and 1929 he was Deputy Director and then Director of the Royal Naval Staff College, after which, for three years, he was Commodore in command of the New Zealand Station and First Naval Member of the New Zealand Naval Board. In 1931 he was made rear-admiral. He became Fourth Sea Lord in 1932 and was promoted to vice-admiral in 1935. His last active command was that of the Battle Cruiser Squadron. He retired because of ill-health in 1938, was recalled in 1940 and served on the Board of Admiralty as Assistant Chief of Naval Staff. From 1942 to 1945 he was Flag Officer, Liaison, with the United States Navy in Europe.
Repository
Archival history
GB 0064 BLE [1914-1945] Collection 1ft; 30cm Blake , Sir , Geoffrey , 1882-1968 , Knight , Vice Admiral
Blake entered the Navy in 1897, was made a lieutenant in 1904, specialising in gunnery and was promoted to commander in 1914. Between 1914 and 1918 he served in the Grand Fleet flagships IRON DUKE and QUEEN ELIZABETH as Fleet Gunnery Commander and Executive Officer respectively. In 1918 he was promoted to captain and served as Naval Attache in Washington between 1919 and 1921. From 1921 to 1923 he commanded QUEEN ELIZABETH and from 1923 he served on the staff of the War College for two years. Between 1925 and 1929 he was Deputy Director and then Director of the Royal Naval Staff College, after which, for three years, he was Commodore in command of the New Zealand Station and First Naval Member of the New Zealand Naval Board. In 1931 he was made rear-admiral. He became Fourth Sea Lord in 1932 and was promoted to vice-admiral in 1935. His last active command was that of the Battle Cruiser Squadron. He retired because of ill-health in 1938, was recalled in 1940 and served on the Board of Admiralty as Assistant Chief of Naval Staff. From 1942 to 1945 he was Flag Officer, Liaison, with the United States Navy in Europe.
The papers were deposited on loan in 1969 and have subsequently been returned to the owner.
Papers of Sir Geoffrey Blake covering Blake's career from 1914 but not in great depth. There are official service documents; photographs of his service in the First World War and official papers relating to his period in America; papers covering affairs in Samoa, 1930, and other items relating to the New Zealand appointment. In addition, there are semi-official and personal letters, 1937 to 1940, from Admirals Sir Dudley Pound (1877-1943), A.B. Cunningham (q.v.), Sir Charles Little (1882-1973), and Admiral Stark (1880-1972), United States Navy, 1945, as well as post-war correspondence with Admiral Stark, Lord Louis Mountbatten (1900- ), General Lord Ismay (1887-1965) and Professor Marder (1910- ). There are also some notes on the attack on Oran, 1940, and on Operation Torch, 1942.
Returned to lender
Please contact the Archive for further information.
English
Detailed catalogue online at the: National Maritime Museum website .
Edited by Sarah Drewery, Jun 2011.
Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.
2011-04-20 Oceania Algeria North Africa Blake , Sir , Geoffrey , 1882-1968 , Knight , Vice Admiral Samoa Pound , Sir , Alfred Dudley Pickman Rogers , 1877-1943 , Knight , Admiral of the Fleet Stark , Harold Rainsford , 1880-1972 , Admiral USN Cunningham , Andrew Browne , 1883-1963 , 1st Viscount Cunningham of Hyndhope , Admiral of the Fleet Little , Sir , Charles James Colebrooke , 1882-1973 , naval officer Mountbatten , Louis Francis Albert Victor Nicholas , 1900-1979 , 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma , Admiral of the Fleet Ismay , Hastings Lionel , 1887-1965 , 1st Baron Ismay of Wormington , General Marder , Arthur Jacob , 1910-1980 , naval historian World War Two (1939-1945) Battles Naval battles Military engineering Maritime warfare Warfare Wars (events) World wars (events) World War One (1914-1918) New Zealand North America
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
The papers were deposited on loan in 1969 and have subsequently been returned to the owner.
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Papers of Sir Geoffrey Blake covering Blake's career from 1914 but not in great depth. There are official service documents; photographs of his service in the First World War and official papers relating to his period in America; papers covering affairs in Samoa, 1930, and other items relating to the New Zealand appointment. In addition, there are semi-official and personal letters, 1937 to 1940, from Admirals Sir Dudley Pound (1877-1943), A.B. Cunningham (q.v.), Sir Charles Little (1882-1973), and Admiral Stark (1880-1972), United States Navy, 1945, as well as post-war correspondence with Admiral Stark, Lord Louis Mountbatten (1900- ), General Lord Ismay (1887-1965) and Professor Marder (1910- ). There are also some notes on the attack on Oran, 1940, and on Operation Torch, 1942.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Returned to lender
Conditions governing reproduction
Please contact the Archive for further information.
Language of material
- English
Script of material
- Latin
Language and script notes
English
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Finding aids
Detailed catalogue online at the: National Maritime Museum website .
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Notes area
Alternative identifier(s)
Access points
Subject access points
Place access points
Name access points
Genre access points
Description control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.
Status
Level of detail
Dates of creation revision deletion
Language(s)
- English