Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of Thomas Gildea Blake a Registrar, born 1850 in Bombay, India and his wife Anne Frances, born 1850 in Congerstone, Leics. William Gildea was born in 1884 in Congerstone, Leics., his siblings were Mary A., born 1880, Frances A., born 1887 and James F., born 1889, the latter three siblings were all born in Congerstone, Leics., and Nigel Everard, born 1891 in Measham, Leics., in March 1901 the family home was at Holly Bank, High Street, Measham, Leics., in the Ecclesiastical Parish of St. Lawrence. In April 1911 William was serving as a Lance Corporal in the 413/x/0 3rd Company, Royal Engineers and was stationed at Lydd Camp, Lydd, Kent. His younger brother Nigel Everard fell in action.