George Henry Blencowe  {3841]

1865-1930

Father Nm: John Blinkow  [219] born 16.9. Market End c c 28.9.1823 Bicester died in 1874 Oldest known ancestor – Joseph Blinco 1769 Bicester.

Mother Nm: Ann Bryan/Bryant [4770] born Stratton Audley

Marriage Dt:

Kin comments:

Spouse Comments:

Children:

(Research): GR[B] Bicester June 1865 1871, 1881 Census.

1881 Census Bicester Market End

1. Ambrose Blencowe abt 1863 Son
2. Ann Blencowe abt 1835 Head
3. George Blencowe abt 1866 Son
4. Sarah Blencowe abt 1869 Daughter

1891 Census Wandsworth London

1. George Blencoe – Salvation Army Officer.

1911 Census No 8 Field Road, Bushey, Watford, Herts

1. George Blincoe Single age 44 a Boarder, Railway Contractors Labourer.

Royal Engineers		Labour Corps

WW1

Blencowe George Henry, 1865, Bicester, Pioneer, 115486, 291413, 4^th Bn. Royal Engineers, 703 Coy. 31 Labour Corps, South Command.

1915

• 18^th Aug. Enlisted at age 45 yrs in Holborn London. Residence: 150 Spon St, Coventry. Next of Kin Ambrose Blencoe Brother Lower Heyford. Oxon. At 5ft 2ins. George was smallish and older than most recruits.
• 19^th Aug. Joined the 4^th Labour Bn., Royal Engineers at the Southampton Depot that dealt with replacement personnel for the battalions.

Men who served with the 4^th Labour Battalion, Royal Engineers (703 Company, Labour Corps). Most of the men in this unit were labourers or other manual workers in their 30’s or 40’s when they joined. They landed in France on the 26^th of August 1915 and many remained in France or Flanders until the company was disbanded on the 10^th of July 1919. The company’s main duty was road building.²

• 25^th Aug. Landed in France from 25^th Aug 1915 to 6^th Jan 1918. George’s role in the 4^th Labour Battalion was probably that of general labour working for the R.E. The unit was used for rail and road work.

1917

• 12^th -21^st Jan. Leave to the UK.
• 2^nd Apr. Admitted to the hospital doesn’t say what was his illness or if he was wounded.
• 8^th Apr. Returns to his regiment from the hospital.
• 31^st Jul. Transferred to Labour Corps 703 Coy. 31. The Labour Corps was formed from the RE Labour Bn.s. This from War forum: 703 Company, Labour Corps was formed from the 4^th Labour Battalion, R.E. They arrived in France (4^th Labour Battalion) in August 1915 as a general labour unit working for the R.E. We know, for example, that they were used for road work. Transferred to the Labour Corps in June 1917 again used on roads. Men in the company tended to be older.¹

Labour Corps units were used as emergency infantry. The Corps always suffered from its treatment as something of a second class organisation: for example, the men who died are commemorated under their original regiment, with Labour Corps being secondary. Researching men of the Corps is made extra difficult by this, as is the fact that few records remain of the daily activities and locations of Corps units.¹

1918

• 2^nd Jan. Admitted to No 55 General Hospital Boulogne with Lumbago (likely caused by the heavy spadework in road building work ).
• 6^th Jan. Returns to England.
• 27^th Mar. Honourable discharged unfit disability due to Service Myalgia (muscle pain likely from influenza disease) Regt. No 291413.

Sources

1. The Long, Long Trail The British Army in the Great War, 1914-1918.
2. Imperial War Museum.

Medals

Awarded 1914-15 Star, British and Victory medals plus Silver War Badge. The medal roll confirms 1914-15 Star awarded for service with the 4th Labour battalion.

The UK, Silver War Badge Records, 1914-1920

Name Geo. Blencoe Discharge Unit: S.C.L.C. ex 4. R.E. Regiment Number: 291413 Rank: Pte. Badge Number: 372103 Unit: Labour Corps (Nottingham) Piece: 3187 List Number: LC 1201-1500 Record Group: WO Record Class: 329.

The cause of discharge refers to Army Order (AO) 265 of 1917 – which relates to the issuance of the Silver War Badge – “having served his country and still of military age, and served overseas on active service, is now discharged through disablement or ill health” Para(graph) 2 a (i) adds – “After service overseas in the Armed Forces of the crown, on account of disablement or ill-health caused otherwise than by misconduct.”

After the War

1921 Census

Cark of 56 Spon Street, Coventry

George Blencoe Boarder Male 1865 56 Bicester, Oxfordshire, England Labourer Out Of Work Mcalpine former employer

Death 1930

1st Quarter 1930 Coventry, Warwickshire

Gallery

Note: there are 20 records that exist for this man that is not shown in the Gallery for copyright reasons.