Richard Blencowe [4375]
1891-1966
Father Nm: John Blencowe 1857- Oldest Known Ancestor: John Blencowe C1828 died Leamington Priors?
Mother Nm: Maria Horley 1856.
Marriage Dt: 21 Dec 1912. Wellington, New Zealand
K comments::
Brothers who were drafted or served in WW1
- Harry served with the Oxford and Bucks LI.
- Edward served with US Army Engineers
- George Herbert served in India (Edward’s testimony) army records confirm
- Albert who also emigrated to the USA claimed exemption as a conscientious objector
WW2: Son John Warwick served as a Pilot Officer is the Royal New Zealand Air Force. Nephew John served with the Royal Navy., Nephew Clive served with RAF, nephew Handel with the Queens Royal Regiment.
Spouse Comments: Evelyn Fanny Florance (b. 25 Oct 1892, d. 7 May 1973)
Children: NR 1914, , John Warwick 1915. Betty Amelia 1920
Birth 11 Oct 1891
1892 Warwickshire, England, Baptisms, 1813-1910 about Richard Blencowe.
Name Richard Blencowe, Parish: Ufton.
Baptism Date: 26 Jun 1892
Father’s Name: John Blencowe, Mother’s name: Maria Blencowe
1901 Census Nuneaton Warwicks
- Blencowe Walter Son Bricklayer M 1882 Burrington 19
- Blencowe John Head Milk Dealer M 1858 South Newington 43
- Blencowe Maria Wife F 1856 Bradford
- Blencowe Harry Son M 1890 Nuneaton 11
- Blencowe George Son Carpenter M 1885 Burrington 16
- Blencowe Alfred Edward Son M 1894 Nuneaton 7
- Blencowe Albert Son Milk Dealer M 1887 Burrington 14
- Blencowe Richard Son M 1892 Nuneaton 9
1910 Emigrated to New Zealand
Name: Richd Blencoe
Gender: Male
Departure Date: 1 Apr 1910
Port of Departure: London, England
Destination Port: Wellington, New Zealand
Ship Name: Corinthic
Shipping Line: Shaw Savill & Albion Co, Ltd
Official Number: 115296
Master: F Hart
18th NZ Reinforcements | Otago Regiment | NZ Rifle Brigade |
WW1
Blencowe Richard, 1892, Nuneaton, Rifleman, 27840, NZ Rifle Brigade 18th Reinforcements “F” Coy. , 2nd Otago Battalion, “A” Coy.
1916
- 10th May. Enlisted at Wellington, occupation Motorman. wife Evelyn at Kaiwara.
- From local NZ paper
- 26thJun. Posted to “F” Coy of the 18th Reinforcements.
- 11thOct. Embarked on SS Willocha with 18th Reinforcements (1st Draft).
- 20thDec. Arrived in Plymouth England.
- 29thDec. Transferred to 2nd Otago Bn..
note: The 2nd Bn was in Egypt at this time and so Richard was to travel to France and eventually joined them on or around 18 April the main body of the regiment having traveled from Egypt via Marseilles.
1917
- 11th Feb. Embarked for France Transferred to 2nd Bn. Otago Regiment Coy. 4. There was no major NZ division action during this period Feb-May 1917, so Richard is unlikely to have seen much action.
- 12th Apr. Postcard sent to his Sister
Postcard from Dick to his sister-in-law Mary (Georges wife) expressing grief for her loss. wondering if she has heard from brother George. Finally, Dick writes “I am expecting to go up the firing line any day now.” - 17th May. Got sick (influenza) and was shipped to England for treatment. embarked for England on 17 May.
- 19th May Admitted to No 2 NZ General Hospital Walton on the Thames.
- 9th Jun. Admitted to NZ Convalescent hospital Hornchurch.
- 13thJun. Suffering from pneumonia reported at No. 2 NZ General Hospital Walton on the Thames..5
- 27th Jun. Transferred to NZ Depot Codford. When the wounded or invalided soldiers were sufficiently recovered to leave Hornchurch they were sent to the Command Depot at Codford to be “hardened” for further active service training.3
- 11th Jul. Return to France.
- 23 September. We know from the featured photo of Dick with Edward his brother that the couple met somewhere in France. Edward was based at this time at Rouen with the 21st General Hospital staff. We also know that Dick was at Harlettes on the 12 September so it’s likely they both or one of them got leave and met either in Rouen or some point in between.
As the distances show it was still in those times a good distance between the Base Hospital and Harlettes
Note. From 2nd Otago History
The Regiment remained in training in the Lumbres area over the greater part of September. In the course of training operations particular attention was paid to practice in trench and open warfare, wood fighting, attack and counterattack, and musketry. In view of the changed methods of defence adopted by the enemy, and his new system of shell-hole defences, the principle of extreme depth in the attack was adhered to during practice operations, while the formations used were in the nature of “worms” rather than waves and lines. New enemy methods of attack or defence demanded the introduction of new counter-measures.6
On September 14th, at a point half a mile east of Harlettes, the Regiment participated in a review of the New Zealand Division by Sir Douglas Haig, Commander-in-Chief of the British Forces, who expressed his appreciation of the smart and business-like appearance of the troops of the Division. Among those who were present on the occasion of this review was Mr. Winston Churchill.
- 12th Dec. Classified “A” by traveling Medical Board
1918
- 13th Jan. Posted to 8th Company of 2nd Bn. Otago Regiment to Winter in the Ypres Salient.
- 26th Jan. The 2nd Battalion moved to the vicinity of Erquinghem and relieved the 11th Suffolks, 4th, 8th, and 10th Companies going into billets and the 14th Company occupying a series of four posts in the subline.5
- 20th Feb. Bois Grenier. The 2nd Bn thus took over the line from 1st Otago, four days later the Regiment was relieved as a whole by troops of the 172nd Bde., 57th Div. Relieved the Bn. after spending a night at Sailly, marched to De Seule.5
- 27th Mar. NZ Brigade including 2nd Otago marched through Mailly-Maillet and reached Colincamps deploying and skirmishing dispersed the enemy and joined up with the Australian troops south of Hebuterne. 2nd Otago was withdrawn from its former outpost line in front of Colincamps into Divisional reserve to garrison this portion, assist in its construction, and secure touch with the second Australian position behind Hébuterne. Here the battalion stayed till the 29th when it exchanged places with the 1st Rifles at Englebelmer.4
- 30th /31st Mar. 2nd Otago relieved 1st Canterbury at night in the front line on Serre Rd towards Beaumont Hamel.4
- 5 April. German Spring Offensive “At 5 o’clock on the morning of April 5th, the enemy commenced an artillery bombardment which must rank as one of the heaviest and most sustained the Regiment ever experienced.”
- Apr-6th Jun. Messines. The Division was based on a line from One Tree Hill to East of Hebuterne, with occasional skirmishes but little major action.
Note: Casualties from enemy action were, however, heavy, as indicated by the fact that between March 27th and April 28th the total incurred by the 2nd Battalion of the Regiment was 38 killed. It can be seen below from the report generated at Geoffs WW1 Search Engine this rate of casualty was spread over this period.
HILL | RJ | 8/1506 | 2ND BN. | 3/3/1918 |
MCLEAN | D | 9/383 | 2ND BN. | 3/3/1918 |
HEALEY | W | 11279 | 2ND BN. | 18/3/1918 |
DRIVER | BH | 59510 | 2ND BN. | 28/3/1918 |
GIRLING-BUTCHER | WL | 8/4064 | 2ND BN. | 31/3/1918 |
JENKINS | J | 56931 | 2ND BN. | 1/4/1918 |
BEAUMONT | G | 29591 | 2ND BN. | 2/4/1918 |
HENRY | JW | 42844 | 2ND BN. | 2/4/1918 |
ERLANDSSON | FG | 45169 | 2ND BN. | 3/4/1918 |
HARVEY | J | 63150 | 2ND BN. | 3/4/1918 |
KENDALL | JT | 8/3304 | 2ND BN. | 5/4/1918 |
GRANT | DA | 27498 | 2ND BN. | 7/4/1918 |
FYFE | J | 45088 | 2ND BN. | 9/4/1918 |
MCALLISTER | WM | 47280 | 14TH COY. 2ND BN. | 9/4/1918 |
HYSLOP | JR | 49190 | 2ND BN. | 10/4/1918 |
DE CENT | KO | 23471 | 2ND BN. | 12/4/1918 |
LIDDELL | W | 55765 | 2ND BN. | 12/4/1918 |
MCGREGOR | J | 39400 | 2ND BN. | 16/4/1918 |
ALDRED | E | 28847 | 2ND BN. | 24/4/1918 |
COCHRANE | R | 54010 | 2ND BN. | 28/4/1918 |
- 7-19th Jun. Ploegsteert Operations
- 7th Jun. Relieved by the 42nd Division.4
- 12-15th Jun. On the 12th the 2nd Bn. (in Brigade support), was billeted at the Catacombs, a system of deep tunnels under Hill 63, on the northern edge of the Bois de Ploegsteert. It was called upon on the 15th to relieve the 1st Bn. who had advanced and held a line near the River Douveand Warneton.
- Casualties 9 officers and 255 other ranks. This total includes the casualties sustained in the Messines operations.6
- 12th Jul. The 2nd Battalion moved to Doulieu. 6
- 20th Jul. To the UK on leave. It seems about this time that Dick’s health was bad enough to be sent back to the UK and not return.
- 22nd Jul. Admitted to 2nd NZ General Hospital Walton.
- 25th Aug. Declared unfit to serve.
- 8th Dec. Departed for NZ on Ruahine.
1919
- 21st Jan. Arrived in New Zealand and announced by the Northern Advocate, 21 January
1919.
- 10th Jul. Discharged.
Sources
- Archives New Zealand.
- Auckland War Museum.
- The New Zealand Camps in England Author: Lt. H. T. B. Drew.
- Title: The New Zealand Division 1916 – 1919: A Popular History Based on Official Records. Author: Col. H. Stewart.
- The Chronicle of the NZEF 30th June 1916.
- Official History Of The Otago Regiment, N.Z.E.F. In The Great War 1914-1918 By Lieutenant Arthur Emmett Byrne.
- Complete Service Record.
- Descendant Clive Blencowe and his wife Angela Blencowe supplied essential family information and photos and postcards above.
Medals
Awarded the British and Victory medals.
Richard may have been awarded the Silver War Badge by NZ authorities typically the award of the badge was noted on the man’s medal index card, usually denoted by “Lis” or “SWB List” followed by a code. Nothing like this appears on his records. An article from the Hawera & Normanby Star, 26 February 1918 indicates this badge had to be applied for and so it just may be that Richard did not apply for one.
After the War
Living at 22 Main St Wellington 1919-1966 occupation Tram motorman.
Death 1966 age 74 years
1966/40186 Blencowe Richard age 74 years.
Lived at 22 Mein St, Newtown. Wellington.
GALLERY