Major Thomas A. Blake photograph album

p1-1. Captain T.A. Blake & Mrs. Blake’s wedding. Zeitoun Camp, 1915, Cairo; print

p2-1. Wedding invitation from Miss Mabel Constance Deane and Captain Thomas Arnold Blake to Mr & Mrs Dean

p3-1. Captain T.A. Blake & Mrs. Blake’s wedding. Zeitoun Camp, 1915, Cairo; print

p4-1. Captain T.A. Blake & Mrs. Blake’s wedding. Zeitoun Camp, 1915, Cairo; print

p4-2. Captain T.A. Blake & Mrs. Blake’s wedding. Zeitoun Camp, 1915, Cairo; print

p5-1. Captain T.A. Blake & Mrs. Blake’s wedding. Zeitoun Camp, 1915, Cairo; print

p5-2. Under arch of steel [Captain T.A. Blake & Mrs. Blake’s wedding. Zeitoun Camp, 1915]; print

p6-1. Waiting for me to appear after ceremony [Captain T.A. Blake & Mrs. Blake’s wedding. Zeitoun Camp, 1915, Cairo]; print

p6-2. Guests leaving tent after me [Captain T.A. Blake & Mrs. Blake’s wedding. Zeitoun Camp, 1915, Cairo]; print

p7-1. Lost behind the Padre coming from “church” [Captain T.A. Blake & Mrs. Blake’s wedding. Zeitoun Camp, 1915, Cairo]; print

p7-2. In centre of group being introduced to guests [Captain T.A. Blake & Mrs. Blake’s wedding. Zeitoun Camp, 1915, Cairo]; print

p8-1. After the marriage. Capt. & Mrs Blake [Captain T.A. Blake & Mrs. Blake’s wedding. Zeitoun Camp, 1915, Cairo]; print

p8-2. Receiving congratulations from Capt. Sommerville [Captain T.A. Blake & Mrs. Blake’s wedding. Zeitoun Camp, 1915, Cairo]; print

p9-1. Group of officers; print

p9-2. Nurses snapping us as we are leaving; print

p10-1. By the side of Obelisk, Dec 18th [19]15; print

p10-2. Obelisk; print

p11-1. Riding through cotton fields; print

p11-2. Outside native …Dec [19]15; print

p12-1. Head quarters of Zeitoun Camp; print

p12-2. Ploughing at …after the cotton crop; print

p13-1. Colonel Mackesy leading the A.M.R. from Zeitoun Camp, Jan 22nd 1916; print

p13-2. Colonel Mackesy leading the A.M.R. from Zeitoun Camp, Jan 22nd 1916; print

p14-1. The virgins tree at Matareah [El-Mataria] Jan 1916; print

p14-2. [Egyptian man and ox]; print

p15-1. Sakkia in Cam…Garden; print

p15-2. A few of the 7000 camels in transport camp; print

p16-1. The Guard outside Sultan’s Palace, Heliopolis; print

p16-2. Australian Convalescent Hospital “Luna Park”, Heliopolis

p17-1. Steps leading to entrance of citadel; print

p17-2. Alabaster Fountain in courtyard of Mosque at Citadel where the worshippers wash face, neck & feet before entering mosque; print

p18-1. Catholic Cathedral, Heliopolis; print

p18-2. Sultana’s palace, Heliopolis; print

p19-1. Prince Youssef Kamal’s palace (cousin of Sultan); print

p19-2. Small temple at Marq; print

p20-1. The two ‘Comose’ servants; print

p20-2. Native girl going to the well; print

p21-1.Well at Marq in the date palm grove; print

p21-2. Sheks [sic] tomb at Marq; print

p22-1. Native Street – Matarieh; print

p22-2. Main Street – Matarieh; print

p23-1. Australians in the trenches – in the desert; print

p23-2. Australians in the trenches – in the desert; print

p24-1. Camels drawing gun carriage – Zeitoun; print

p24-2. Camels drawing gun carriage – Zeitoun; print

p25-1. Square outside Port …, Cairo; print

p25-2. Greek Church, Cairo; print

p26-1. Stretcher bearers on the desert; print

p26-2. Ferry over canal; print

p27-1. Jan & Neil R… & their donkey ‘Petu’; print

p27-2. Jan & Neil R… & their donkey ‘Petu’; print

p28-1. At ‘Camose’? Feb 18th 1916; print

p28-2. 3 NZ. Lieuts, leaving Zeitoun for … in cattle trucks; print

p29-1. [Mrs Blake? in Egyptian? clothing]; print

p29-2. [Mr. Blake in Egyptian? Clothing]; print

p30-1. Miss Williams & self with Capt. Campbell Smith …; print

p30-2. [Two women on donkeys]; print

p30-3. [Two servicemen on donkeys]; print

p31-1. Grand Hotel, Zeitoun, Cairo; print

p31-2. Heliopolis Hotel, used as Australian Hospital; print

p32-1. Coptic Monastery …; print

p32-2. …captured from the Turks when attempting to cross Suez Canal; print

p33-1. Barons Palace, Heliopolis; print

p33-2. Coptic Church …; print

p34-1. Water seller in Cairo Street; print

p34-2. ... coming through bags of flour at N.Z. Sports …; print

p35-1. Rhinoceros at Cairo Zoo; print

p35-2. Hippopotamus; print

p36-1. [Giraffe]; print

p36-2. Pelicans on the lake; print

p37-1. Under the Banyan tree, Cairo; print

p37-2. Native huts, M…; print

p38-1. Major O. Hall., Australian; print

p38-2. Below steps pyramids, Saqqara, Sept 1915; print

p38-3. [Two women and two servicemen with donkeys]; print

p39-1. A road at Zeitoun, under the E…lotus trees; print

p39-2. Entrance to Zeitoun bazaar; print

p40-1. Lines in camel hospital at Zeitoun; print

p40-2. Australian troops lines up at Zeitoun, just before leaving in the cattle trucks awaiting them. Taken from house top; print

p41-1. One of the daughters from a Turkish Harem in Zeitoun desert; print

p41-2. One of the daughters from a Turkish Harem in Zeitoun desert; print

p41-1. Back view of our flat in desert; print

p42-2. [One of the daughters from a Turkish Harem in Zeitoun desert]; print

p43-1. On an island caused by Nile floods, Nov 1915; print

p43-2. [Mrs Blake?]; print

p44-1. Capt. Bruce on our balcony; print

p45-1. 2 views from the English Hospital roof at Citadel; print

p45-2. 2 views from the English Hospital roof at Citadel; print

p45-3. Fountain in courtyard of mosque; print

p46-1. English sisters mess at Citadel; print

p46-2. One of the carved roofs in Citadel hospital; print

p46-3. A familiar picture in M…Aly Street, Cairo; print

p47-1. Under arch of steel [Captain T.A. Blake & Mrs. Blake’s wedding. Zeitoun Camp, 1915]; print

p47-2. Young [lions] at the Cairo Zoo; print

p48-1. A rest near …; print

p48-2. At the step pyramid; print

p48-3. Crossing the Nile near H...; print

p48-4. The quartermaster & Capt. Blake; print

p49-1. Major Edgar, Mrs Blake & Capt. Blake, (Bridesmaid) Miss Dixon, Colonel Mackesy [Captain T.A. Blake & Mrs. Blake’s wedding. Zeitoun Camp, 1915]; print

p50-1. Ready for submarines in the Mediterranean; print

p51-1. [Captain T.A. Blake & Mrs. Blake’s wedding. Zeitoun Camp, 1915]; print

p52-1. Some of the officers waiting for us [Captain T.A. Blake & Mrs. Blake’s wedding. Zeitoun Camp, 1915]; print

p53-1. Under arch of steel [Captain T.A. Blake & Mrs. Blake’s wedding. Zeitoun Camp, 1915]; print

p53-2. [Two women and two servicemen with donkeys]; print

p53-3. Under arch of steel [Captain T.A. Blake & Mrs. Blake’s wedding. Zeitoun Camp, 1915]; print

p54-1. Capt. T.A. Blake [on horse]; print

p55-1. [Servicemen on back of horse drawn carriage]; print

P56-1. Capt. Blake’s batman, Murray; print

lp1. [Portrait of Captain Blake]; print (located between pages 1-2)

lp2. Base Details. Camp, Zeitoun Pass for Mrs. Blake, 7/12/1915 (located between pages 55-56)

From Hawera & Normandy Star, 5th November 1915, page 3

“WEDDING IN THE DESERT.

NEW ZEALANDER's MARRIAGE.

For the first time in the history of New Zealand a wedding has (says the Auckland Star) been celebrated in the lines while her troops have been on active service. On August 29 last Captain Thomas Arnold Blake, veterinary officer to the Auckland Mounted Rifles was joined in bonds of wedlock to Miss Mabel Constance Deane, of Gloucestershire, who arrived from England on August 26. The wedding was of a purely military nature, the church being a marquee and the altar a box covered with the Union Jack.

With the Main Body at the Dardanelles life in the erstwhile gay Zeitun Camp, where the wedding was celebrated, became rather dull, but with such an opportunity as a wedding, Lieutenant-Colonel Mackesy and the officers of the remnants of the brigade determined to make a success of it, and their efforts were amply rewarded. The ceremony took place at 4 o'clock in the afternoon, and, being a military function, everything was up to time. The bride was attended by Sister Dixon, of the English Reserve of Nurses, and the bridegroom was supported by Major Edgar, of the New Zealand Veterinary Corps, as best man. After the short ceremony the happy couple passed out under an arch of swords to the strains of Mendelssohn's "Wedding March," rendered by the Auckland Mounted Rifles Military Band. The breakfast was held in a double marquee erected for the occasion, and a long list of toasts was gone through.

The farrier staff of the Auckland Mounted Rifles presented the married pair with a very handsome table-cover of Egyptian workmanship, with the regimental crest worked in the centre. The officers of the brigade gave them a magnificent afternoon tea-table top, comprising Egyptian work, which will serve_to remind them of their unique, wedding on the sandy desert of Zeitun.”

[Keywords: Major Thomas Arnold Blake, Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Ernest Randolph Mackesy, Mabel Constance Deane, Peter Maxwell Edgar]