Blinco Edwin E 1886

Edwin Edward Blinco [4221]

1886-1971

Father: Edwin Blinco [3130] born Dec Q 1850 Long Crendon

Mother: Elizabeth Adelia Toms Turner 1952 Bedford

Marriage Dt: 22 July 1912 to Lily Smith, Marriages Sept 1912, Watford 3a 1896

Note: This is the only record that suggests that Edwin and Edward are his two first names, he preferred to use Edward after 1912 and hence all later records show only Edward.

K comments:

Spouse Comments: Lily Smith [7994] (1881-1950)

Children:

(Research): GR[B] Aylesbury Dec 1886

Birth 1886

Aylesbury 3a 677

1891 Census 79 Victoria Rd Berkhampstead

Edwin Blinco 39 Long Crendon Head DRAYMAN
Elizabeth Blinco 36 Leighton Buzzard, Bedford Wife STRAW PLATTER
Edwin Blinco 4 Linslade, Bucks Son

1901 Census 34 Whitehall St Aylesbury

Edwin Blinco 48 Head DRAYMAN
Elizabeth Blinco 48 Wife STRAW PLATTER
Edwin Blinco 14 Son
Beatrice Blinco 8 Daughter

1911 Census Aylesbury

Blinco Beatrice F 1893 18
Blinco Edwin M 1852 59
Blinco Edwin M 1887 24
Blinco Elizabeth F 1854 57
Blinco Edwin M 1887 24 Basketmaker
Basketmakers

Also appears in Census at 49 Windsor Rd. Watford, Hertfordshire

Blinco Edward Basketmaker M 1887 Aylesbury 24

Royal Engineers

WW1

Blinco (Edwin) Edward, 1886, Aylesbury, Sapper, 2856, 524232, Royal Engineers 3/2^nd, 1/2^nd East Anglian Field Coy Royal Engineers.

1915

4^thAug. Edward volunteered and joined the Territorial Army in the 3/2^nd East Anglia Royal Engineers. Edward immediately signed the waiver form so that as a Territorial he could serve overseas. At some time before April 1916, Edward also transferred to the 1/2^nd East Anglian REs.

1916

30^th Apr. Embarked Devonport as part of the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force 484^th (1/2 East Anglian) Field Coy. Royal Engineers. While in this theatre of war he was in supporting the action at Gaza and Jerusalem and was engaged in making roads, wiring trenches and building bridges.
Employed in road-making. This photograph of Grenadier Guard Pioneers at work
12^th May. Disembarked Alexandria Egypt.

1917

Feb. Allotted new regimental No 524232 note all Territorials were given new longer numbers to avoid duplication.
26^th-27^th Mar. The First Battle of Gaza. “The Royal Engineers of the 54^th Div. laid a number of wire tracks across the sand prior to the attack, in addition to working for several weeks on the water supply to the front line.
Soldiers marching on a “wire” road in the desert © IWM (Q 57764) . The wire tracks were required chiefly for the evacuation of the wounded, supplies being brought up by camels and by a tramway that ran through the dunes.1
17^th-19^th Apr. The Second Battle of Gaza
British Troops in Palestine as it can be seen no special hot weather clothing issued- From Flickr

.
27^th Oct -7^th Nov. The Third Battle of Gaza including the Capture of Gaza (1-7 November). A signaller with a Royal Engineers’ unit vividly described a sandstorm during the lead-up to Gaza III: Our final preparations for the advance took place in a sandstorm. For three days we were working with goggles over our eyes and handkerchiefs around mouth and nostrils. The job was recovering and loading cable ready for the dash up. It was impossible to see a man 20 yards away; there was sand all over our perspiring bodies, sand on every mouthful of food we ate, and a sip of tepid water left sand on our lips. Half the fellows were suffering from dysentery pains and passing blood. The storm passed, and we had a clear and beautiful night. We washed, and we stretched ourselves under the stars utterly content with just the absence of physical discomfort.¹
21^th-22^nd Dec. The Battle of Jaffa Edward’s last battle of the war most probably.

1918

6^th Feb 1918 admitted to Alexandria Hospital with a severely crushed left foot a result of an accident while on duty.
21^st Jun 1918 returned to England: on troopship “Kalyan” from Alexandria.
4^th Jul 1918 transferred to 3/2 East Anglian Field Coy Royal Engineers
13^th May 1919 discharged K.R. XVI

Sources

The Egyptian Expeditionary Force in World War I : A History of the British-Led Campaigns in Egypt, Palestine and Syria. Mortlock, Michael J.
The National Roll of the Great War.
Mabel Head source of the family photograph.