Orders, Decorations and Medals

The Second World War G.M. group of six awarded to Frederick “Sexton” Blake, a former Stoker, R.N. who was decorated for his courage as an employee of the Great Western Railway during the Birmingham Blitz 1940: on being interviewed about his award, the Jutland and North Russia “Altham Flotilla” veteran was quoted as saying, “As I see it, I had no right to a medal ... these blitzes seem tame to me”

George Medal, G.VI.R., 1st issue (Frederick Francis Blake); 1914-15 Star (K. 18129 F. F. Blake, Sto. 1, R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (K. 18129 F. F. Blake, Sto. 1, R.N.); Defence Medal 1939-45; Royal Fleet Reserve L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., coinage bust (K. 18129 (PO. B. 12485) F. F. Blake, Sto. 1, R.F.R.), the Great War period awards polished, thus nearly very fine, the remainder good very fine (6) £3000-3500

G.M. London Gazette 24 January 1941. Joint citation for Peter Frederick Smout, Engine Cleaner, Great Western Railway, Tyseley, Birmingham, and Frederick Francis Blake, Great Western Railway, Small Heath, Birmingham:

‘Cleaner Smout, on hearing bombs falling, left his cabin and immediately commenced dealing with incendiaries, using his hands and feet to cover them with ballast. He then volunteered to take a locomotive along the blazing goods shed, although bombs were still falling, and draw the waggons to safety. On his first journey he was accompanied on the footplate by the Depot Master’s Clerk, but on three other trips he went alone, although by this time the offside of the footplate was too hot for him to touch. Throughout the night this young Cleaner’s coolness and courage set a fine example to the other members of the Company’s staff and, but for his action, it would not have been possible to save any of the wagons lying near the burning goods shed.

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Exceptional Naval and Polar Awards from the Collection of RC Witte.

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Examiner Blake observed a wagon on fire and, with assistance, propelled the burning vehicle to a place of safety by hand. After doing this, Blake went to the shelter and prevailed upon more of the staff to help him. He organised a squad of men and removed other burning trucks. He also acted as Shunter to Smout, and operated the point levers, which had become very hot, by using his cap. Blake afterwards put out a number of incendiary bombs, using his hands and feet to cover them with ballast until he found an old shovel. He then found a stirrup pump, with which he extinguished the lesser fires on several other trucks. Throughout the night Blake showed little regard for his own safety. By his example he led other members of the staff to help to save the Company’s property.’

Frederick Francis ‘Sexton’ Blake was born at Yardley, Birmingham, in April 1892, and entered the Royal Navy as a Stoker 2nd Class in February 1913. He served aboard the battleship Hercules at Jutland where she formed part of the First Battle Squadron, and subsequently aboard the Laertes and the Emperor of India.

In April 1919, Blake joined the Sword Dance, one of four Funnel-class minesweepers serving with the “Altham Flotilla” on the Dvina River, in support of the White Russians against the Bolshevik troops. The task of the flotilla, a mixture of monitors, minesweepers, coastal gunboats and support vessels, named after the Senior Naval Officer, River Dvina, Captain E. Altham C.B., R.N., was to provide mobile artillery support and transportation for troops and equipment for the “Saddler Jackson Brigade” as they moved up river on their mission to evacuate the Allied troops in North Russia. As this force withdrew in September 1919, with Bolshevik troops in full pursuit along the river banks, Sword Dance was blown up in deep water to prevent her capture.

“Sexton” Blake, as he was affectionately known by his railway comrades, left the Royal Navy in June 1920, but remained in the Royal Fleet Reserve until March 1933. He then found employment as an Examiner with the Great Western Railway in his home town of Birmingham, and it was in that city’s first blitz, on the night of 26-27 August 1940, that he won the George Medal, his story being told at length in Heroes of Road and Rail, by G. C. Curnock. The story concludes:

‘Blake was almost indignant about the recognition given to him for his share in the job. “To tell you the honest truth,” he said to me, “as I see it, I had no right to a medal. When I went up that Russian river, standing up to the middle in cold water and seeing those mines come floating down the shallows, with just one rod sticking up and tumbling about in the water - well, that was different. 300 went out on that job and only 33 came back. We earned our Silver Badges all right. The King knew mine when I went up for the George, and spoke to me about it. What with the mines, and the Dover Patrol off the Belgian coast, these blitzes seem pretty tame to me, and that’s a fact!”

Sold with the recipient’s Mine Clearance Service Silver Badge, the reverse lugs replaced by a pin fitting; his original parchment Certificate of Service, two portrait photographs, one in naval uniform, and a copy of Heroes of Road and Rail, by G. C. Curnock, as presented to Blake in 1944 by the Goods Transport Committee, and featuring his G.M.-winning exploits.