Henry Blinko [4111]
1881-1944
Father Nm: John Blinks [3582] born 1846 Christ Church Southwark (St. Georges Hanover D.Q.) died prob 1901 Lambeth : Oldest known ancestor – Huett Blencowe, C1720, Wolverton.
Mother Nm: Rebecca Carroll 1852 baptised 8 Apr 1860 Lambeth -1920.
Marriage Dt:
K comments:Brother Edwin served with the Royal Field Artillery . Brother William James served with Royal Garrison Artillery and the RAF.
Spouse comments:
Children:
(Research):GR[B] Lambeth 23 Nov. 1881.
Born 1881
23 October 1881 Lambeth
1901 CENSUS LAMBETH
- Rebecca Blinks 44
- Henry Blinks 19
- Edwin Blinks 19
- Clara Blinks 15
- William J Blinks 13
- Emma Blinks 10
1911 Census Unknown
Mother And Sibling At 5 Wyvil Road, South Lambeth Rd
Online War Photo Album | Kings Royal Rifles Corps |
WW1
Blinko Henry, 1880, Lambeth, Private, 4661, A/200389, 3/22nd Reserves and 2nd Bn. London Regiment, 10th Bn. Kings Royal Rifle Corps.
1915
- 11 Dec. Attested with the 2/22nd County of London Regiment Reserves
1916
- 7th Apr. Mobilised, age 35 yrs from Army reserves and posted to 2/22nd County of London Regt. Henry was single, occupation Carman and living at 43 Katherine St. Glasshouse St. Lambeth
- 29th Apr. Transferred to 1/22nd County of London Regt. part of the 47th (1/2nd London) Division.
- 29th Jul. Embarked for France with 1/22nd.
- 15th – 22nd Sept. Battle of Flers-Courcelette.
After having struggled for the preceding two months to take control of it, on the commencement of the battle, the 47th Div. succeeded in clearing the last German-held sections of High Wood, sustaining heavy losses in the process.5 between the 16th-20th Sept. the 1/22nd Bn. had fifty two men killed.4
- 30th Sept. Transferred to 13th London Regt. And then posted to 10th Bn. KRRC. The 10th Bn. KRRC was part of the 56th Brigade of the 20th (Light) Division.
- 7th October – 16th Nov. The 20th Div. took part with the XIV Corps in attacks on the Butte de Warlencourt. During this period the 10th Bn. KRRC suffered sixteen men killed in this action.
1917
- Jan-Feb. From the Chronicles of 10th KRRC. “January was an uneventful period for the Battalion, mostly spent in the Bronfay Farm, when not occupying the front line, or in support at Fregicourt. The weather, for the greater part of the month, was bitterly cold with hard frosts. …. On the 28th we marched to Heilly and on the 30th to Bussey-les-Daours, where billets were good, but the supply of fuel, a matter of some importance in cold weather, ran out, to the great discomfort of all. We spent the first week of February cutting wood for fuel with enthusiasm, and learning the latest tricks of formations for offensive action, and moved on the 7th to Camp No 2, Carnoy… The north-east wind blew very cold across the dreary wastes of Montauban and Bernafey Wood. We were in the line again east of Lesboeufs on February 11th. This trench had been very recently captured by the 29th Div. and was in fairly good condition.
We returned to Carnoy on the 13th, when most of the Battalion was employed on working parties, and were again in the line on the 18th.
The next day (19th) the enemy bombarded us heavily (and five men were killed by shellfire) . We were relieved on the 20th and returned to Carnoy. We stayed here a week and again found ourselves in the front line on the 27th.”On the 28th the 10th KRRC suffered ten more fatalities. - 4th Apr. Attack on Metz, Bn. loses 46 men killed this day
- 25th Sept. Henry is reported wounded in the Weekly Casualty List (War Office & Air Ministry ) newspaper/gazette. Given the delay in this reporting its entirely possible that this was incurred April attack on Metz. In any event he probably missed the September battle for the Menin Road. For completeness, this battalion history is included as we don’t know when he returned to duty. However, we do know that by November 1917 he was back with the battalion.
- 8th – 19th Sept. On the 8th we moved to Proven and two days later to Malakoff Farm, where our camp was bombed by aircraft, with casualties to horses and mules in the Transport lines.Training continued in fine weather and the Battalion staff went up to reconnoitre the ground over which the attack was to take place about the 20th. After finally rehearsing the attack we relieved the 7th K.O.Y.L.I. on the left sub-sector of the Divisional Front on the 18th near Reitres Farm.Their was continuous shelling during the following twenty-four hours, and about 5.30 p.m. on the 19th a direct hit destroyed the Headquarters dugout, and both the Commanding Officer and the Adjutant were killed, in addition to 8 other ranks killed and wounded. This was a terribly heavy blow to the Battalion on the eve of the attack.6
- 20th – 25th Sept. The Battle of the Menin Road,
On the 20th, Companies moved into their assembly places at 4 a.m.
The left rested on the Ypres-Standen Railway, and we held a front of 400 yards, with the 11th K.R.R.C. on the right and the 3rd Grenadier Guards on our left, “D” Company of the 11th Rifle Brigade being attached for supporting purposes.
At zero, 5.40 a.m., the Artillery and machine-gun barrage opened.
The men advanced well, and “A” Company reached the red line under heavy fire. … At 6.30 p.m. the 11th Rifle Brigade, on our right, with “D” Company, delivered an attack, which did not succeed. The night passed quietly, and patrols which were sent out to clear up the situation were not very successful.
At dawn on the 21st hostile aircraft were active, and flew low over our positions, observing and directing shell-fire for three hours. We were shelled intermittently throughout the day. Forty-One of the Bn. men were killed on the 20th/21st.4 - 20th -29th Nov. The Battle of Cambrai. On the 20th Nov 1917 – The 2 (Light) Division captured La Vacquerie after a hard fight and then advanced as far as Les Rues Vertes and Masnieres where there was a bridge crossing the St Quentin Canal. Securing the bridge was going to be vital for the 2nd Cavalry Division, planning to move up to the east of Cambrai. However, the weight of the first tank to cross the bridge, ‘Flying Fox’, broke its back. Infantry could cross slowly by a lock gate a couple of hundred yards away, but the intended cavalry advance was effectively halted.
An improvised crossing also allowed the B squadron of the Fort Garry Horse to cross, but they were left unsupported and withdrew. For no good reason, it was not noticed that further canal crossings at Crevecoeur-sur-Escaut were very lightly defended, until too late in the day. The 20th Div. were now advancing to the farthest point they achieved in 1917. Henry’s 10th KRRC. was at Lateau Wood at the extreme of the British advance when the German counter attack came on 30 Nov. 1917.
- 30th Nov. Henry was recorded Missing on 30th Nov 1917 the losses for the Bn. on this day were large as only 4 officers and 16 other ranks reported surviving i.e. not killed or missing. Events of 30th November 1917: “In the right sector, held by the 59th Brigade, the 10th KRRC immediately north of Lateau Wood had one company in the outpost line. This company saw nothing of the attack until the Germans appeared in its right rear. The enemy came on so fast from, it seemed, all directions…. four officers and 16 men of the battalion survived at the end of the day. Of the two outpost companies of the 11th KRRC next on the left the one holding the cemetery strong point was cut off and no more was heard of it. The other tried to fall back but could not get clear. Thus 11th KRRC shared the fate of its sister battalion. Nor did the disasters of the brigade end there. Five hundred yard further back the 10th Rifle Brigade, in support, was taken by surprise in the mist, being enveloped before the companies could counter-attack or even take up defensive positions. The CO, Lt-Col. L.H.W. Troughton was captured at his telephone; those officers and men who managed to fight their way out joined the 7th DCLI, the support battalion of the 61st Brigade, farther to the left. In reserve the 11th Rifle Brigade occupied in front of the Hindenburg support system a position through which, from 9 am onwards, stragglers and gunners made their way. During the morning the Germans made four attacks upon this line, but all were repulsed…”. Henry was later confirmed as taken prisoner of war on the 30th Nov. 1917 at Cambrai.
- Dec. Henry was imprisoned at Altdamm POW Camp, Germany.
Altdamm is now in the Polish city of Szczecin and consisted of three camps holding 15,000 men.
Red Cross records confirm capture 30th Nov. 1917 and Masinieres as the location. All his details appear to be correct however…. Henry then was transferred on 12th May 1918 further east to Schneldemuhl. The Red Cross forms show that Henry on his transfer from Altdamn was either very vague or camp staff didn’t get his details ie no serial number, gave 3/5th RW (took to be The Queen’s Royal West Surrey Regiment) and no NOK or birth date.1The 3/5th were a reserve Bn. that didn’t serve at Cambrai in 1917 the place that he on this form is said to have been captured. Schneldemuhl was it seems a punishment camp and this may well have resulted in Henry being deliberately vague and incorrect about his details.3
In this camp Henry (as a non NCO) would have been set to labour in the fields or factories of the surrounding area. About 20,000 Prisoners registered at Altdamm (1,921 British) in October 1918, most will be away from the camp at work camps etc.2
1918
- 5th Feb. Henry’s Bn. disbanded at La Clytte, having sustained very heavy casualties during the latter stage of the Battle of Cambrai on 30th November 1917.
The Armistice of 11th November 1918 provided for all prisoners of war to be returned within 14 days, however this was often not feasible due to the general chaos of Germany immediately after the war, and the unavailability of transport. It is then likely it was few months before Henry was eventually returned to England.
1919
- 19th Mar. Henry was discharged on this day, no records of wounds or sickness found.
Sources
- International Red Cross records
- The Long, Long Trail The British Army in the Great War, 1914-1918.
- McCarthy ‘The Prisoner of War in Germany’, p.94
- CWGC database
- Miles, W. [1938]. Military Operations France and Belgium, 1916.
- 1917 Kings Royal Rifle Corps Chronicle
Medals
Awarded the British and Victory Medals.
Henry earned his British and Victory medals for overseas service with the 1/22nd Bn. London Regiment according to the medal index card but the army records suggest he was with the 10th Bn. KRRC. from 30th Sept 1916 and so much of his war experience with that Bn.
After the War
1939 Census
Living at 19 Vauxhall Grove Lambeth with Charlotte Smith and her sons occupation Chaff Cutter (Heavy Worker)
Death 1944 age 64 years
Lambeth Vol 1d Page 133.
Gallery
There are 5 records in the National Archives for this man. For copyright reasons they cannot be re-published.