Sir Alfred Lapthorn Blake

Sir Alfred Lapthorn Blake, KCVO, MC, LLB, DLAlfred Blake was born on October 6th 1915 in Gosport, Hampshire, UK. Educated at Dauntsey's School in Wiltshire, he began training to be a solicitor in 1933. He obtained his Bachelor of Laws degree from London University in June 1938 and qualified as a solicitor in the same year. On the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939, Alfred immediately volunteered for service and was one of 14 in the first batch of civilians to be commissioned as Second Lieutenants in the Royal Marines. He had a variety of appointments and experiences until the Royal Marine Commandos were formed in 1943. Throughout most of 1944 he was Brigade Major of 2 Commando Brigade which saw action in Italy and then in Yugoslavia in association with the Partisans operating from the small Adriatic island of Vis, well north of the front line in both Italy and the Balkans. For three months Marshal Tito was just a few hundred yards away in the same valley. Later Brigade HQ with part of the Brigade landed in Albania and freed Sarande, then crossed over to liberate Corfu. For his courage in action, Alfred was decorated with the Military Cross. In early 1945 he was in north-west Europe where the main task of the Commandos in the British sector was to spearhead the assault force across the rivers Maas, Rhine, Weser, Aller and Elbe. When his CO was wounded during the night crossing of the Rhine, Alfred took over his command and was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel in the field. Later he commanded the Holding Operational Commando. On demobilisation, Alfred was involved in developing the Royal Marines Association which supports past and present Marines and their families. In 1948 Alfred re-joined Blake Lapthorn, the law form which had been started by his grandfather in 1869. He remained a partner until retirement as Senior Partner in 1985, continuing as a consultant until 1999. His great-grandfather, grandfather and father had served on the Portsmouth City (earlier Town) Council and Alfred was also elected as a Councillor (later Alderman). His great love was education and service to young people. He became Chairman of the Education Committee and was Lord Mayor in 1958-59. The two main highlights of his mayoral year were raising the funds to purchase state of the art (for 1959) radiotherapy equipment for the local hospitals and the granting of the Freedom of the City of Portsmouth to the Royal Marines. In 2009, he completed sixty years as a Rotarian, first in Portsmouth and Southsea, then Cosham (Portsmouth) and recently in Beaufort, South Carolina. He was President of the Portsmouth Youth Activities Committee, sponsoring the Blake Challenge. He was patron of the Elizabeth Foundation, a national charity for the pre-school profoundly deaf, and patron of the Portsmouth Family Welfare Association. He was governor of a number of schools including Portsmouth Girls' High School (Chair) and Dauntsey's School in Wiltshire, Vice-President of the YMCA in Portsmouth and President of the 45 Royal Marines (1943-45) Association. In 1991 he was also appointed a Deputy Lieutenant of the County of Hampshire. The City of Portsmouth Council conferred on him the rare honour of the Freedom of the City in 2003. There is no doubt that, for Alfred, the most significant and rewarding period of his career was when he was invited by HRH the Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, to be the second Director (for 12 years) and a Trustee of the Duke of Edinburgh's Award, a scheme which encourages young people to enrich their lives and thereby the lives of others. Now in existence for over 55 years this Scheme has involved millions of young people and countless adults. Alfred Blake was knighted by HM the Queen in 1979 as a Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order, the Queen's own Order of Chivalry. Sir Alfred's first wife, with whom he had two sons, sadly died in 1967 but Alison, his second wife of over 40 years, survives him and is a resident of Port Royal, South Carolina. A service of remembrance, officiated by the Rev. Roger Smith, will be held at First Presbyterian Church of Beaufort on Monday, December 9 at 11:00 a.m. Anderson Funeral Home and Crematory is assisting the family. In lieu of flowers the family suggests donations to Friends of Caroline Hospice (1110 13th St., Port Royal, SC 29935) or Cancer Research UK (Angel Building, 407 St John St, London EC1V 4AD). [KCVO = Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order; MC = Military Cross; LLB = Bachelor of Laws; DL = Deputy Lieutenant (of Hampshire)].