Ernest Herbert Blinco  [4465]

1894-1949

Father Nm: Frank Blinco [3860] born 4 Oct 1866, Aldridge, Staffordshire died 1935, Rugby,Warwickshire

Mother Nm: Sarah Jane Randall [3309]Birth 19 Aug 1870 Tipton, Staffordshire Death 1916 Rugby

Marriage Dt: 1918 to Julia Robinson, Hinckley, Leicestershire, Volume Number: 7a Page Number: 102

K comments: Brother Edward Francis served with the Royal Field Artillery.

Spouse Comments: Julia Robinson 16.2.1890-1972 Market Bosworth

Children:
(Research): GR[B] Lichfield June 1894 GR[D] Hinckley vol, 3a p 587 March 1949

Birth

31 March 1894 (1939 census)

1901 Census Stanford on Avon Northants

1. Blinco Ernest Herbert Son M 1894 Shenstone 7
2. Blinco Frank Head Waggoner on Farm M 1868 Daw End 33
3. Blinco Sarah Jane Wife F 1873 Shenstone 28
4. Blinco William Son M 1892 Wallsall Wood 9
5. Blinco Elizabeth Jane Dau F 1896 Shenstone 5

1911 Census Rugby Warwickshire

1. Blinco Ernest Herbert Servant Milksellers Dairyman M 1894 Lichfield 17

1914

Railway Employee as per Army records

 

WW1

Blinco Ernest Herbert, 1894, Lichfield, Driver. T4/072404, 4th Coy. 37th Divisional Train Army Service Corps. 

Synopsis

Ernest served for three years his duties kept him mostly behind the front lines. The ASC was an extremely large organisation that was distributed across all the British Divisions, there was no correlation between the unit numbering and the divisions to which they were attached. Ernest was with the 4th Coy or 291 Coy of the 37th Divisional train throughout the war and it’s fortunate that we have the war diaries and can identify where exactly he was in from 1916 up to July 1917. The war diaries are attached to this document and they show the role played by his horse train was to transport both supplies to the men of the division as well as take away the refuse from the front line. They often moved the divisional units’ baggage to and from locations including the front line. Wounded in 1917 he was quickly returned to duty. He did get to go home on leave 3 times in the war, in mid-1917, in March 1918 to get married in Hinckley to Julia Robinson, and in August 1918. He was struck with Influenza in October 1918 which was reaching worldwide Pandemic status at this time. Hospitalised in France until Christmas then on being released from the hospital sent home first on leave then in February, a medical board adjudged that his poor health was not due to the war service.

1915

• 12^th Apr. Enlisted as a Driver of Horse Transport at Rugby, previous occupation: Railway Porter.

  

• 30^th Jul. Embarked Southampton and landed Le Havre France on 31 Jul 1915.

• The War diary of the 37^th train shows that the  Coy trains were used to fetch and carry both men and supplies to and from locations. While Ernest began his work driving horse-pulled transport over time the horse train was replaced by lorries and we must assume this is what he was doing as he was a Driver rank throughout the war.

1916

• May. 4^th Coy train movements.  Based at Lucheux on the 2^nd May. to Warlincourt (some 30 km south-east and near Bapaume). On 6^th the to L’Arbret (22 km north) and general operations in Bavincourt area. On the 14^th it’s noted that all the Coys. men and wagons were used to move the 112^th Brigade and then on the 26^th moved the same Bde to the front line at Bienvillers
• Jun. L’Arbret. Similar activities to May moving the 112^th Bde in and out of the front line and picking up supplies at the rail-head at L’Arbret.
• Jul. The 4^th Coy. moves from its billets at L’Arbret to Warlincourt. On 15^th Jul. The Coy moved almost 50 km north to Monchy Breton. On the 20th moved to Rebreuve then onto Hermin where it stayed until the end of the month
• Aug. Began the month at Camplain L’Abbe and performed duties there until the 15^th  when the Coy moved to Division and then on the 24^th going on to Vaudricourt.
• Sept. To Ourton on the 2^nd Sept. and stayed until the 19^th when moved to Barlin for the balance of the month.
• Oct. Was at Saint-Michel-sur-Ternoise 19-21^st. Typical of the duties that the 4^th Coy performed is shown by looking at the entry for  21^st Oct. Supplies were delivered to the LN Lancs and E. Lancs at Hem, the Bedfords, Warwicks, and MGC at Longue Valette, 153 Coy RE at Beaval, 50^th Field Ambulance at Bretel and Brigade HQ at Doullens. On Oct. 21st the Coy moved to Bretel and then onto Bertrancourt finishing at Doullens by the end of the month.
• 1-12^th Nov. Doullens
• 13^th-18^th Nov. The Battle of the Ancre. The division took part in this battle that captured Beaumont Hamel, St. PierreDivion andBeaucourt and threatened the German hold on Serre further north.
  • 13^th Nov. Moved the Coy to Louvencourt
  • 14^th Nov. Coy moved to Lealvillers and the Brigade moved to Mailly Maillet.
  • 17^th Nov. The Brigade moved to Engelbelmer.
• 20-30^th Nov. Based at Lealvillers as the Brigade moved back to first to Mailly Maillet and then Louvencourt. On the 30^th the Coy. moved to Rubempre.
• Dec. Moved from Rubempre to Boyaval onto Essars and then spent Christmas at Les Facons.
  

  

1917

• • Jan. Based at Les Facons routine supply deliveries to units in Lacoutre, Le Touret, and Les Facons. The baggage trains drew slag (coal) from Annezim the roads are good.

  • 2^nd Jan. Wounded in the face. Admitted 49^th Field Ambulance (this was one of three FA’s that were with the 37^th Division so this would have been a tented facility close to the unit operations. As there is no mention in the war diary of bombardment etc Ernest’s injury could have been in carrying out his loading work or even a kick from a horse. Records show injury described as ICT face interpreted as “Inflammation of Connective Tissue” sometimes seen as “Injury to the Connective Tissue”. Basically, any non-penetrative wound or injury to the muscles and/or ligaments. Although I.C.T. was originally applied mainly to the lower leg and foot problems due to excess marching, and affected joints and ligaments, there are one or two nurses’ accounts when they mention how the term became to be used for all sorts of minor infections which weren’t classified elsewhere. So the ‘ICT Face’ is quite likely to be an infection of some sort or perhaps a temporomandibular joint disorder.²

  • 8^th Jan. Rejoined unit from the hospital. The Coy was still based at Les Facons, on the 10^th the fresh meat rations were cut by 30% indicating supply problems.

  • Feb/Mar. Moved to Paradis in Feb then on the 10^th Noeux les Mines . March a move to
  • Apr. Three battles fought by the 37^th Div. in this month as the Arras Offensive takes place.
  • 9^th-14^th Apr. First Battle of the Scarpe. On the 9th at Dainville and Warlus delivering supplies to the brigade, the 37th division attacked and captured Monchy le Preux in this battle
  • 23^rd -24^th Apr. The Second Battle of the Scarpe.

  • 28^th -30^th Apr. The Battle of Arleux.

  • May. In the month Ernest is awarded his first Good Conduct badge. his 4^th Coy was at Dinier until the 18^th, then moved to Montenescourt and on the 30^th moved to Arras and at Duisans at the end of the month.
  • June. The 37^th Train moved north and west through Villers, Valmuon, Ponche, Estree-Blanche, Witte, Sylvestre, Cappel, Locre and Dranoutre to arrive in Belgium at the end of the month.
  • Just before the Battle of Pilkem Ridge Ernest on the 21^st was granted 10 days leave to the UK. On his return, he joined the Division in the battles of Ypres in 1917. The 37th Division is credited in participating in the following battles and from what we can determine that Ernest spent the balance of the year in the Ypres Sector.
  • 31^st Jul. – 2^nd Aug. The Battle of Pilkem Ridge
  • 20 – 25^th Sept The Battle of the Menin Road Ridge
  • 26^th Sept. – 3^rd Oct The Battle of Polygon Wood
  • 4^th Oct. The Battle of Broodseinde
  • 9^th Oct. The Battle of Poelcapelle
  • 12^th Oct The First Battle of Passchendaele
  • To see a map of the 4^th Coy’s travels in 1916-1917 go here.

1918

• 29^th Mar. 15 days leave to the UK to get married in Hinckley Leicester. Ernest missed the battle of the Ancre while on this leave.

  Deleted:

• 21st Aug . 10 days leave to the UK in 1918. In uncanny good timing, Ernest missed another major battle on the 21/22^nd of August for Albert in which the 37^th division participated.

• 12^th Sept. The Battle of Havrincourt. The 37^th Div. one of three divisions that attacked the village of Havrincourt, the 37^th captured Trescourt.

• 30^th Oct. Admitted to 38^th Casualty Clearing Centre at Awoingt with Influenza

• 5^th Nov. Transferred to 2^nd Canadian General Hospital Le Treport with Influenza.

• 11^th Nov. The Armistice. 37^th Division was in the area of Le Quesnoy. After moving back to the Bethencourt – Caudry area, it moved forward on 1 December 1918 to Charleroi. By 20^th December, units were billeted between Charleroi and the Maubeuge-Nivelles road. Demobilisation began on Boxing Day and by 25^th March 1919, the Division ceased to exist.

• 20^th -29^th Nov Admitted No 3 General Hospital Le Treport with Influenza

• 29^th Nov. Return to duty. but was immediately sent home on leave.

• 30^th Dec. to 29^th Jan. 15 days leave to UK

1919

• 21^st Feb. Discharged. The address is given in 1915 and 1919 – 61 London Rd. Hinckley.

Sources

1. Army Service records National Archives
2. The Long, Long Trail, The British Army in the Great War,
3. Sue Light @Scarletfinders
4. 37th Divisional Train ASC War diaries.(note PDF files)
5. 1916 part 1
6. 1916 part2
7. 1917 part1
8. 1917 part 2

Medals

• • Awarded the 1914-15 Star, British and Victory medals.

After the War

1921 Census

85, Queen’s Road, Hinckley, Leicestershire

Ernest Herbert	Blinco	–	Male	1894	27	–	Railway Goods Dept	L & N W & Mid Rly
Julia	Blinco	–	Female	1890	31	Hinckley, Leicestershire, England

1939 Census

83 Factory Road, Hinckley, Leicestershire
Ernest H Blinco 31 Mar 1894 Male Railway Driver Married
Julia Blinco 16 Feb 1890 Female Shopkeeper General Store Married

Death 1949

Hinckley, Leicestershire, Volume 3A, Page 587.

GALLERY

There are records in the National Archives of this man. For copyright reasons, they cannot be re-published.