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Aino Jakob Edvard Blek (Regimental No 5707)
Enoch Bleck, as he came to be known, was born in Onlu Finland in 1881.
He was the son of Abram Jakob Blek and Olga Maria Turve. It is possible
that he was escaping Russian persecution when he arrived in Sydney, with
his family, from Hamburg in 1893. It should be noted here that a lot of
immigrants to Australia are listed on Passenger Lists that can be accessed
by any researchers. All family members are listed on the passenger list of
the ship.
In 1908 Enoch married Elizabeth Grimwood, born in Little Hulton,
England in 1884. They had two children, William Jacob Blek and Edward
John Blek.
Enoch is pictured in the photo on the next page taken on the verandah of
their home in 126 Cowlishaw Street, Redhead, with his wife Elizabeth
(nee Grimwood) and sons William (middle) and Edward (in front).
Enoch applied for, and gained, Australian Citizenship on 7 September
1914. He was a fireman who had worked at a number of local mines
including Minmi and Redhead. Blek lived in Redhead from 1911 to his
death. He enlisted in the AIF at Charlestown on 4 April 1916.
Interestingly enough, on his enlistment papers he said he was from
Russia, but that may have changed during the war due to the Russian
Revolution when Russia stopped its fight against the Germans on the
Eastern Front.
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