1st East Anglian Regiment

Description: The body of a 20-year-old soldier who went missing in action during World War One has finally been laid to rest. Private Reginald Joseph Blake, from Tendring, Essex, known as Joe to his family, was last seen north of the city of Lens in northern France in 1917.

His remains were discovered in 2020 and a burial service in France was organised by the Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre, external, also called the War Detectives.

Case worker Rosie Barron said: “His family now have answers as to what happened to Uncle Joe after nearly 110 years of him being missing.”

Blake’s identification was made possible after a DNA sample was provided by his nephew, Bryan Blake.

“My sister and I believe we are the last remaining relatives of Joe,” he said.

“We are sad that such a young life was taken, and grateful for the dedicated work of the JCCC and Commonwealth War Graves Commission giving the recognition, and final resting place he deserves.”

The coffin of Private Reginald Joseph Blake being laid to rest at a burial service at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s Loos British Cemetery Extension, on Wednesday 22 April 2026.

Six soldiers in the uniform of the Royal Anglian Regiment are kneeling on either side of the grave as they fold a union jack over his coffin. A seventh soldier is standing to attention. There are white Commonwealth War Gfaves Commisison headstones, a chaplain in a white and men holding flags.

Now his remains have been found and identified, they have been laid to rest in the Loos British Cemetery Extension in Pas-de-Calais

The soldier enlisted into The Essex Regiment at Dovercourt after the outbreak of the war. He was posted to 11th Battalion The Essex Regiment and on 21 April 1917, it moved into positions north of Lens in preparation for an attack the following day. Blake went missing during this fighting.