Arthur Harold Blencowe [4383]
1891-1961
Father Nm: John George 1839 St Mary Magdalen Oxford died Headington Mar 1892- Oldest Known Ancestor: Richard Blincow, C1660, Bicester.
Mother Nm: Emma Young 1855. Newport Wales died 1938 Abingdon
Marriage Dt:1921 Headington to Estella Bunce.
K Comment: Sister Mabel Edith Nurse TFNS died in France in 1917 and sister Florence Mary Nurse QAIMNS served in England.
Spouse comments: Estella Louise Bunce.1892-2007
Children: William Arthur 1929.
(Research): GR[B] Headington March 1892? Kelly’s, Directory GR[D] Oxford March 1961
Birth 6 Dec 1890
Source 1939 Census
1901 Census St Giles Oxford
- Blencowe Arthur Son 9
- Blencowe Emma Head Baker and Grocer 45
- Blencowe George Son Tailors Asst 15
- Blencowe Lucy Dau 16
- Blencowe May Dau 10
- Blencowe Walter Son Grocers Asst 18
- Blencowe Mabel Dau Post Office Clerk 21
- Blencowe Florence Dau 13
1911 Census 20 Kingston Rd Headington
- Blencowe Arthur Son Clerk Butchers 19
- Blencowe Emma Head Baker & Grocer 55 2
- Blencowe George Son Tailors Cutter 25
- Blencowe Lucy Dau Baker 26
- Blencowe May Dau Typist Booksellers 20
- Blencowe Walter Son Shop Asst Baker & Grocer 20
Oxford and Bucks L.I. |
WW1
Blencowe Arthur Harold, 1891, Oxford, Corporal, 2940, 200797, 1st/4th Oxford and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry.
Synopsis
Arthur enlisted as a Territorial soldier and may have served with the army before the war. I estimate he enlisted Mid Sept. 1914 from his Regt. the number and it does seem from the renumbering 200797 that Arthur was with the 1/4th Battalion. A reference for this is Private George Bolton 200798 who was killed in 1916 with 1/4th Oxford and Bucks LI at Pozieres.
He was dispatched in 1915 to France and fought several battles before being wounded, this I think was at Ypres in August 1917 has the report of his casualty was published in October 1917. For this reason, he may not have gone with his battalion to Italy in November 1917 rather joining them later in 1918 in what was relative to France and Flanders a quieter tour of duty.
1915
- 15th May. 1/4th Regt. Became part of the 145th Brigade in 48th (South Midland) Division.
- 29th Mar. Arthur entered the theatre of war in France.
- 30th March. The battalion arrived in Bologne.
- Apr. to Jun. Billeted in Ploegsteert, Belgium.
- Jul. to Jul. 1916. in the general Hebuterne Area.
1916
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- 1st Jul. The Battle for the Somme. VIII Corps (Lieutenant-General A G Hunter-Weston). Attack on Beaumont Hamel and Serre. The Battalion and most of its Division the 48th was to be in corps reserve at Busles Artois 7 On 5th Jul. Graham Greenwell of 1/4th Oxford and Bucks wrote home from G Sector at Hébuterne: “Here we are again, back in the trenches, or rather canals, as the water is over our knees”. He was to be there until the 8th of July.
“Yesterday afternoon I had a good look at the battlefield of 1 July through the telescope at a splendid observation post. It was a very interesting sight; it lay just to the right of us; the whole plain sloping up to the village called Serre held by the Germans was visible. Our troops attacked it after 6 days bombardment, and after getting into the village were driven back to their original trenches. Heaps of bodies are still lying out there unburied, but the Germans and ourselves have been sending out stretcher parties each night. The three lines of German trenches in front of the village are absolutely shattered and are almost levelled; their thick wire is absolutely wrecked, but their machine guns did appalling damage in spite of everything. The village is one mass of ruins with a few gaunt trees standing up before the battle it was thickly wooded and almost invisible. Far to the right, I could see our guns shelling a large German railway centre behind the line – good sight”. 5 - 14th-17th Jul. The Battle of Bazentin Ridge* in which the 48th Division captured Ovillers.
- 23rd Jul.Pozieres.The Battalion attacked just east of Pozieres. A Company on the left, D on the right, B in support, C in reserve. The objective on the left was reached almost at once; that on the right after a hard struggle. At least two counter-attacks had to be repulsed. At 4 a.m. we were reinforced by two companies of the 4th Berks. Heavy shelling all day, but no further attacks were delivered. In the afternoon it became evident that the Battalion had suffered heavily, and at night we were relieved. Officers; 1 missing, believed killed; 1 killed and 8 wounded. Other ranks;73 were killed, and many were wounded.4
- 12th Aug. The British forces advance on a 1-mile front northwest of Pozières.
- 1st Jul. The Battle for the Somme. VIII Corps (Lieutenant-General A G Hunter-Weston). Attack on Beaumont Hamel and Serre. The Battalion and most of its Division the 48th was to be in corps reserve at Busles Artois 7 On 5th Jul. Graham Greenwell of 1/4th Oxford and Bucks wrote home from G Sector at Hébuterne: “Here we are again, back in the trenches, or rather canals, as the water is over our knees”. He was to be there until the 8th of July.
- 13th Aug.Battle for Pozieres.This map shows how Blencowes were to take part in the Battle around Pozieres. In Arthurs battalion was Alfred Blencowe who was mortally wounded and Albert Blencowe all here in Skyline and Ration Trench on that day. Ten days later Fred Blencowe 21st Bn. AIF was wounded in the same spot. Diary says “Very heavy shelling over the whole area all day, more especially on Skyline and Ration Trenches. By the evening Skyline Trench had been obliterated, and C and D Companies had suffered heavy casualties, some, no doubt, caused by our own Heavies firing short…. About 9 p.m. enemy shelling became intense around Battalion H.Q……Shortly before 10 p.m. the enemy attacked our front and left flank with apparently two battalions. Our centre, which was weakly held, was pierced.”6
- 14th Aug. Owing to the length of the line occupied and the casualties already sustained, no further counter-attack by the Battalion was practicable. The Casualties in the Battalion during the 13th and 14th of August were: 1 Officer missing; 5 Officers wounded, and 147 N.C.O.’s and OR’s killed, wounded, and missing.6
Serving alongside Arthur at Pozieres was Sergeant Alfred Blencowe 1/4th Bn. from Banbury who was killed in the battle. Also serving was Private Cyril Albert Blencowe 2/4th Bn. from Bicester.
- 1st– 6th Nov. Attached to 144th Brigade. On the 1st of Nov. C.O. and other officers reconnoitered support trenches between Martinpuich and Le Sars, preparatory to the Battalion moving in. The 5th Nov. The Battalion in the front line in front of Le Sars, was a left-front battalion. The 144th Brigade is on our right and the 44th Canadians (of the 4th Canadian Division) on our left. The 50th Division (on the right of the 144th Brigade) attacked Butte de Warlencourt. The attack appeared to be successful. The enemy retaliated with 77 mm. and 15 cm. on the front and support lines and on Le Sars. The Battalion had 6 men killed and 9 wounded. During the day there was considerable intermittent hostile artillery activity, and enemy snipers were busy, on our left flank, enfilading Aqueduct Road. This is troublesome, owing to the terrible state of the trenches. Our support companies relieved the companies in the fire trenches. Some useful patrol work was carried out at night. On the 6th of Nov. Enemy artillery was unusually active. Le Sars, Destrernont Farm, Aqueduct Road, and intervening ground were well searched, especially during the afternoon, with Company H.Q. in the front line receiving special attention. Three German prisoners (64th R.I.R. Guards Division, Guards Reserve Corps) were captured opposite our left company and sent to Brigade H.Q.Casualty. 1 man wounded. At night we were relieved by the 1/1st Bucks Battalion, the relief not being completed until after midnight. Companies moved back into trenches in the support area, previously occupied 5, 6
* The battles above are part of The Battle for the Somme
1917
- Feb. La Maisonette. On the 7th Feb., the Battalion went into the trenches near Herbicourt and remained in the front line until the 13th, having 6 men wounded. From the 13th to 17th in support position furnishing working parties, carrying parties, and patrols; 1 Officer and one man were killed, and 8 men were wounded. On the 25th Feb. in the front line opposite La Maisonette, where the Battalion remained three days, losing 2nd Lieut. W. H. Fleeming and 5 OR’s wounded. 6
- Mar-Apr. La Maisonette, Peronne – Ronssoy. The Battalion went into the front line again on the 1st Mar. and continued in and out of the trenches until the 20th. Carried out a successful raid at La Maisonette on the 17th. On the 20th the Battalion marched from Cappy to Peronne and thence moved gradually forward in pursuit of the Germans to Tincourt and Marquaix. During this month 3 men were killed,3 Officers, and 13 other ranks were wounded.6
- May -Jun. Hermies & Demicourt. 25th-31st May moved to Demicourt and Beaumetz, and on the 29th went into the trenches. Casualties during May. 4 men were killed, 6 men wounded, and 1 man missing.6
- 22 July. The battalion entrained to go north to the France/ Belgium border at Houtkerque, and from then on to the Flanders front.
- 16-17th Aug. Battle of Langemarck
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- At 04:00 hrs. all battalion companies reported in position west of Steenbeek. At 04:45 hrs. the attack started and little opposition until they were east of the Steenbeek when firing from Maison du Hibou caused the Bn. to halt. Two tanks. supposed to help in the attack. strong points because the wet ground didn’t appear. The battalion was held up because of the German posts or forts at Maison du Hibou, Hillock Farm, Jew Hill, and Border House and further back other supporting posts, Triangle Farm, Vancouver, Springfield, and Winnipeg. Those posts supported each other with machine-gun fire and effectively stopped the attack.
- The Bn. suffered heavy casualties 5 officers and 60 OR’s killed, 5 Officers and 100 OR’s wounded, and 4 OR’s missing.6
- It is very likely that Arthur was wounded in this battle, his wounds are reported delayed on Tuesday 16 October 1917 in the
Weekly Casualty List (War Office & Air Ministry )
- 25th Nov. Moved to Italy. Troops traveling to Italy would have had many hours inside railway goods wagons. The journey from Ypres in Belgium took several days to complete. But the troops were effectively getting a holiday from the rigours of the western front. Reached Modane Ital on the 25th Nov at 09:00 hrs.; through Mt. Cenis tunnel at midday, halted at Turin 18:00-20:00 hrs., and had an enthusiastic reception from the Italian inhabitants.6
1918
- May. S. Sisto -Asiago Plateau, 1st -13th The Bn. continued in the front line or support during this period, without suffering casualties. May 14th-15th On this night Lieut. H. Miles, M.C., took out a patrol of 30 men to raid an enemy post. On encountering the post of 8 to 12 men, the enemy fired and ran. Our men followed, killing 3 and capturing a fourth. Lieut. Miles was severely wounded and brought back with difficulty. The casualties during May were: 2 ORs killed, 1 officer, and 9 ORs wounded.6
- 15th Jun. Canove. At 3 a.m. the enemy (Austrians) put down a barrage of gas shells on our front and reserve lines and simultaneously bombarded with T.M.s, M.G.s, and Flammenwerfer for some three hours. Under cover of this shelling, the enemy came over and penetrated a portion of our line and our right front was forced back at 4.30 a.m. Casualties 6 Officers and 45 ORs killed.
- 30th Oct.
- 1st-4th Nov, The March into Austria. The Battalion remained at Caldonazzo until the 9th Nov., guarding prisoners and stores, and feeding the civilian population.
1919
- Arthur was discharged on his return home.
Sources
- Western Front Association.
- Passchendaele Day-by-day website.
- 1/4th Oxford & Bucks, 1916-1919 Roll of Honour.
- Full War Diary of 1/4th Battalion.
- Somme 1916 Gerald Gliddon.
- Extracted From The Regimental Chronicles of the Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry. Compiled by Steve Berridge.
- Slaughter on the Somme by John Grehan, Martin Mace.
- Family History from Family headstone St Sepulchres Oxford
Note: A photograph of Arthur taken in WW1 uniform was published in 1917 Oxford Journal Illustrated, the reference is
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Medals
Awarded the British and Victory medals and while no certificate record was entitled to the Silver War Badge.
After the War
1921 Census
Living with his mother at 51 Bainton Road, Oxford, He was shortly to marry Estella Bunce.
First name(s) | Last name | Relationship to head | Sex | Birth year | Age in years | Birth place | Occupation | Employer |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Emma | Blencowe |
Head
|
Female | 1856 | 65 | Wales | Home Duties | – |
Arthur | Blencowe |
Son
|
Male | 1892 | 29 | Oxford, Oxfordshire, England | Bank Clerk | Barclays Bank Ltd |
Edith | Chettle |
Visitor
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Female | 1903 | 18 | – | Photographer Assistant | J Soame Oxford |
1939 Census 27 Ramsey Road , Oxford C.B., Oxfordshire, England
Arthur H Blencowe 06 Dec 1890 Male Bank Cashier Married
Stella R Blencowe 20 Oct 1892 Female Unpaid Domestic Duties Married
One record not disclosed is likely William Arthur Blencowe 1929 son.
Death 1961 age 69 years
Oxford, Oxfordshire, Volume: 6b, Page: 1211.
Burial
Arthur’s family headstone is located at St Sepulchres Oxford
Probate: living at Ramsay Rd Headington, son William Arthur Blencowe bank clerk.
Gallery
Note: there are 2 service records for this man that exist that are not shown in this gallery for copyright reasons.