Arthur Blencowe [4193]

Killed in Action 10 Apr 1917.

1885-1917

Father Nm: Frederick William 1863-Oldest Known Ancestor: Thomas Blencowe abt 1475 Marston St Lawrence.

Mother Nm: Elizabeth Lathbury 1864.

Marriage Dt:1908 to Mercy Reynolds at Brackley, Vol. 3b Page 3.

K: Brother Albert served with the Bedfordshire Regiment.

WW2 Son Arthur George served with the Oxford and Bucks Regiment

Spouse comments: Mercy Reynolds 1883-1971.

Children: Edith Mary 1911, Phyllis May 1914, Arthur George 1916.

(Research): GR[B] Brackley Sept 1885 JD 1891 Census.

1901 Census Cross Lane Brackley

1. Fredk W Blencowe 38 Tin Smith
2. Elizth Blencowe 36
3. Arthur Blencowe 15 Telegraph messenger
4. Walter Blencowe 13 Errand boy
5. William Blencowe 11
6. Kate Blencowe 9
7. Amy Blencowe 7
8. Hilda Blencowe 5
9. Albert Blencowe 2
10. Ethel Blencowe 3 Months
11. Harry Lathbury 13

1901

Appointed to Post Office as an Assistant Postman.

1904

Transferred from Brackley to Purston as a Rural Postman.

1911 Census Living At Manor Road, Farthinghoe next to Purston

1. Blencowe Albert Brother M 1899 Brackley 12
2. Blencowe Arthur Head Postman M 1886 Brackley 25
3. Blencowe Mercy Wife F 1885 26
4. Blencowe Alfred Brother M 1903 Brackley 8

 

WW1

Blencowe Arthur, 1885, Brackley, Private, F/3507, 27^th Bn. 4^th Bn. Middlesex Regiment.

Pre-war had served for 4 years as a Sergeant in the Oxford and Bucks LI as a Territorial.

1915

• 10^th Dec. Enlisted at Brackley age 30 yrs 6 months. The prefix of F in Middlesex Regt. the number indicated that he was a member of Football Bn. which was the 17^th Bn. Middlesex Regt. or in this case the Reserve Bn. for the 17^th the 27^th Bn. Home Address: 3 Bridgewater Cottages Occ. Postmaster.
• 10^th Dec. On Army Reserve.

1916

• 6^th Jun. Mobilised.
• 4^th Oct. Posted to BEF France.
• 15^th Oct. Joined 4^th Bn. Middlesex Regiment 63^rd Bde. 37 Division at Ablain St Nazareth in the Souchez Sector. Arthur one of 133 reinforcements joining the battalion this day.

  

• 13-18^th Nov. Battle of the Ancre. The 37^th Division was initially in reserve, then on the 15^th took over the line at the captured village of Beacourt.

  

1917

• • 9-10^th Apr. Battle for Arras. Reported missing on 10^th April 1917 while with 4^th Bn. The 37th Division (Arthur’s 4th Bn. included) advanced towards Monchy-le-Preux south-east of Arras. The 4th battalion made their move in the late afternoon first to Battery Valley, then to a small road where they dug for cover and then ordered to attack towards H29. B. Progress was very slow because of machine gun and artillery fire by 2am then were only prtially advance and a whole16 hrs to get to line shown dotted on the map. Arthur was reported missing on the 10th and so he may have been killed at any point on this route.

• 10^th Apr. Reported Killed in Action this day.

The Battle of Arras was an Allied offensive from 9 April – 16 May 1917, British, Canadian, New Zealand, Newfoundland, and Australian troops attacked German defences near the French city of Arras on the Western Front.

Burial

Faubourg-d’Amiens Cemetery

Arras, Departement du Pas-de-Calais, Nord-Pas-de-Calais, France, Plot: Bay 7.

Son of William and Elizabeth Blencowe, of Cross Lane, Brackley; husband of Mercy Blencowe, of 3, Bridgewater Cottages, Manor Rd., Brackley, Northants.

Medals

Awarded the British and Victory medals.

In about 1921-22, Mercy Blencowe would have received a Scroll and Plaque from the King. More importantly, she would have been paid a War Widows weekly pension of 13s 9d plus 5s for Edith 4s 2d for Phyllis and 3s 4d for Arthur.

Arthur is also remembered at the Brackley War Memorial.

Further Reading

Vimy Ridge and Arras: The Spring 1917 Offensive In Panoramas Barton, Peter. Year/Format: 2009, Book, 312.

Gallery

Note: there are 13 service records for this man that exist that are not shown in this gallery for copyright reasons.