Alexander Howard Blencowe  [8680]

Died of war injuries 1^st Sept. 1916

1887-1916

Father Nm: Robert Blencow [1656] c  29.9.1837 Tasmania – Oldest Known Ancestor: Thomas Blencowe abt. 1475 Marston St Lawrence

Mother Nm: Isabella Rankine nee Connell 1844-1922

Marriage:

K comments:

Spouse comments:

Children:

Birth 6^th May 1887

Australia Birth Index, 1788-1922.

Name Alexander Howard Blencowe,

Father’s Name: Albert Francis Blencowe – (b. Abt 1880, d. Abt 1958)

Mother’s Name: Isabella Rankine Mcconnell born 1844 Scotland died nr Gawler, Barossa, South Australia, Australia.

Birth Place: One Tree Hill, Registration Place: Port Gawler, South Australia, Page Number: 352 Volume Number: 395.

	48th Bn. Shoulder Patch

WW1

Blencowe Alexander Howard, 1887, Glencoe, SA, Private, 1678, 32nd and 48th Bn., A.I.F.

1915

• 28^thAug. Date of enlistment from Nominal Roll. Rank on enlistment Private: Unit name 32nd Battalion, 2nd Reinforcement.” Alexander became a farmer, and was farming with his two elder brothers on their property called the ‘Olives”. He enlisted in the AIF at 28 years old on 2 September 1915, and was appointed to the 48th Battalion, D Company 2nd Depot Battalion, A.I.F.”⁴  

• 2^nd Sept. Posted to 32nd Battalion assigned to D Coy 2nd Depot.

1916

• 9th Feb. Alexander departed for the war on the troopship A30 BORDA. Bound for Egypt.

• 9^th Mar. Transferred from 2nd Reinforcements 32nd Battalion to 48th Bn.

• 10^thMar. Transferred to the 48th Bn. The 48th Battalion was raised in Egypt as part of the “doubling” of the AIF. Roughly half of its new recruits were Gallipoli veterans from the 16th Battalion, and the other half, were fresh reinforcements from Australia. Reflecting the composition of the 16th, the men of the new battalion hailed mainly from regional South Australia and Western Australia. The new battalion formed part of the 12th Brigade of the 4^th Australian Division.

• 2^nd Jun. Transported on HMT Caledonia from Alexandria, Egypt to Marseilles, France .¹

• 5-7^thAug. Pozieres. The 48^th Bn. was tasked with defending ground captured in earlier attacks by the 2nd Division in the front line on these dates. The Bn. endured what was said to be the heaviest artillery barrage ever experienced by Australian troops and suffered 598 casualties out of a total complement of 1000 men.¹

• 12-15^th Aug.Pozieres. The 48^thBn. was in the front line again on these dates.¹

• 29^th-31^st Aug. Mouquet Farm. The farm was located about 1.7 kilometres north-west of the high ground near Pozières. Following the action at Pozieres the Bn. undertook a defensive role around Mouquet Farm. The war diary oddly provides little evidence of any action apart from heavy shelling on the 29th Aug. but on the day Alexander is reported killed no mention of any action. There is a large party of men (300) that are attached to signals to bury a cable to Pozieres. It’s possible this was the scene of some action.³

• 1^st Sept. Died of Wounds. Admitted Fracture left and right legs and gunshot wound hand. Died of wounds received at No. 3 Casualty Clearing Station at Grevilliers nr. Bapaume, France caused by multiple gunshot wounds.

South Australian Chronicle Saturday 7 October 1916

The Late Private A. Blencowe.

Mrs R. Blencowe, of Onetree Hill, has received word that her youngest son, Alexander Howard, was killed in action on August 31st. Private Blencowe was one of the first six young men to enlist from Onetree Hill. He left for the front of Private A. H. Blencowe. on January 11. Before enlisting he was farming with his two elder brothers at The Olives and was a general favourite. He was born at Onetree Hill, and lived all his life in his native district. He passed his 29th birthday while on active service.

Sources

1. Australian War Museum.
2. Wikipedia.
3. 48th Bn. War Diary.
4. Playfords History Blog
5. Complete Service Record

Notes

• Alexander Blencowe served alongside Sidney Fenner Blencowe ( 2nd Cousins) in the 48^th Bn. at the Battle of Pozières Ridge, Sidney survived Pozieres only to die in 1917 at the 48^th Bn.attack on Bullecourt.

• The Battle of Pozières Ridge is the official name for the military operations which took place between 23 July and 3 September 1916, in the area from Bazentin-le-Petit to Contalmaison and onwards north-west towards the River Ancre. It included the many ‘subsidiary’ attacks towards Munster Alley (to the south-east of Pozières), High Wood, Guillemont and Delville Wood. Source Imperial War Museum.

Medals

Awarded 1914-1915 Star, British (31868) and Victory (31645) medals. Shows the actual Medal record for Alexander.

Puchevillers British Cemetery

Blencowe A H, Private, 1678, 01/09/1916, 29 Australian Infantry, A.I.F. III. F. 38.

Australian Memorials

Australian War Memorial

Alexander Howard Blencowe’s name is located at panel 145 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial.

Gallery