Sir Alfred Lapthorn Blake, (6 October 1915 – 17 November 2013) was a British solicitor, Royal Marines officer and councillor. He was Lord Mayor of Portsmouth City Council from 1958 to 1959 and director of the Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme from 1966 to 1978. Early life Blake was born on 6 October 1915 in Gosport, Hampshire, England. He was educated from 1926 to 1932 at Dauntsey's School, a private school in Wiltshire. He read law at the University of London, graduating Bachelor of Laws (LLB) in June 1938. He qualified as a solicitor in 1938. Military service On the outbreak of World War II, Blake volunteered for military service. He was one of the first 14 civilians to be commissioned into the Royal Marines during the war. He attended and passed the Army Staff Course at Staff College, Camberley. In 1943, he was posted to Italy as brigade major to Brigadier Tom Churchill of the 2nd Special Service Brigade. He relinquished the rank of acting temporary major on 5 October 1943. He took part in the Allied landings at Anzio in January 1944. On 17 January 1944, he was once more made an acting temporary major. He landed in Albania and was involved in the capture of Sarandë on 9 October 1944, and the liberation of Corfu on 14 October 1944. In December 1944, he was appointed second-in-command of 45 Commando based in the Netherlands. In January 1945, his unit came under heavy attack from Germans holding the Montforterbeek Canal. In March 1945, his commanding officer was wounded. On 23 March, he was made acting temporary lieutenant colonel, and took over command of 45 Commando. He led them over the Maas, Rhine, Weser, Aller and Elb rivers. In April 1945, he returned to the United Kingdom to command the Commando holding unit at Wrexham, North Wales. He was made acting temporary lieutenant colonel again on 4 September 1945. He was demobilised in February 1946. Career Upon returning to civilian life, Blake was involved in creating the Royal Marines Association. It supports past and present Marines and their families. In 1948, he joined Blake Lapthorn, a Portsmouth law firm founded by his grandfather in 1869. He became a partner in 1949. He retired from the firm as Senior Partner in 1985 but continued as a consultant until 1999. He was an elected councillor of Portsmouth City Council. He served as