"Charley" Blake

How He Won the Military Medal

SEVERAL months ago, the Military Medal was awarded to Warrant- Officer Charles W. Blake (since promoted to Lieutenant) for exceptional bravery and devotion to duty “Charley”

Blake spent a brief leave recently in Sydney, but kept the award a secret. He was a well-known

miner on the Bulolo goldfield, in New Guinea, before the Jap invasion.

The citation, relat ing to the award, was as follows: “W/O Blake was a member of the ANGAU team under command of Captain J. S. McLeod, which took part in the landing at Arawe, on January 5, 1944.

Under his guidance, a company of the proceeded to Umtingalu village, at the rear of the enemy. Due to excel lent timing, follow ing the bombard-

ment. the village was occupied with only slight enemy resistance.

“Later, an Allied barge patrol was ambushed by 10 Jap barges. W/O Blake saved the lives of the members by encour aging a native guide, under fire, to find a passage through the sago swamp, when the only alternative appeared to be a dash through heavy fire across the reef. He also assisted in the evacuation of 300 natives from the villages of Meselia and Umtingalu, both Jap-occupied at the time. This was only a quarter-hour’s walk from the enemy concentrations, and under overhanging cliffs, from which the party on the barges could have been annihilated had not the enemy been completely surprised by the manoeuvre.

“W/O Blake was also the subject of separate commendation by the Command ing Officer, US Forces, at Arawe. for his action in leading a dangerous patrol to capture prisoners for intelligence infor mation, a venture which was accom plished with complete success.

“W/O Blake’s individual bravery and devotion to duty has been a source of inspiration to the natives under his com mand, and his above activities have in no small degree contributed to the suc cess of operations in the Arawe area.”

“Charley” Blake, taken on his mining property in the Bulolo Valley, in 1939.