John (Jack) Blencowe [4667]

1900-1981

Known as Jack.

Father Nm: John Blencowe 1866; Oldest known ancestor- Thomas Blencowe,1803, Bishops Itchington.

Mother Nm: Ada Clutterbuck 1868 Banbury. Died

Marriage Dt: 1924 Portsmouth

Kin comments: From a family with strong military commitment.

WW1

• Father John served with the 1/4th Bn. Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry. Brother Harry served with the RGA.

  Uncles Arthur, Reuben and Edward served with the Ox and Bucks. Cousin Albert was killed with the Oxford and Bucks and cousins William served with Royal Engineers, Thomas and Joseph with the DCLI all in WW1.

WW2

• Son John William served with East Yorkshire Regt. Nephew Ronald William was killed with the RASC in North Africa, Brother Edward served with the Royal Garrison Artillery. Brother Ernest served with the Parachute Regiment. Nephew William John Henry was with the Anti Tank Regiment.

Spouse comments: Annie E Chillman 1901-1975. Portsmouth

Children: John William 1924.

(Research):GR[B] Banbury Vol 3a Pg. 925 GR[D].

Birth 27^th Aug 1900

Ada	Blencowe	Daughter	–	Female	11	1890	–	Banbury, Oxfordshire, England
Henry	Blencowe	Son	–	Male	10	1891	–	Banbury, Oxfordshire, England
Mary	Blencowe	Daughter	–	Female	8	1893	–	Banbury, Oxfordshire, England
Hilda	Blencowe	Daughter	–	Female	6	1895	–	Banbury, Oxfordshire, England
Amy	Blencowe	Daughter	–	Female	4	1897	–	Banbury, Oxfordshire, England
Elsie	Blencowe	Daughter	–	Female	2	1899	–	Banbury, Oxfordshire, England
John	Blencowe	-Son	–	Male	0	1901	–	Banbury, Oxfordshire, England

 

1911 Census Banbury

Blencowe Harold Son M 1910 Banbury 1
Blencowe Percy Son M 1902 Banbury 9
Blencowe Horace Son M 1904 Banbury 7
Blencowe John Head Painter M 1867 Banbury 44
Blencowe John Son M 1900 Banbury 11
Blencowe Ada Wife F 1868 North Newington 43
Blencowe Ada Dau F 1890 Banbury 21
Blencowe Edith Dau F 1908 Banbury 3
Blencowe Edward Son M 1906 Banbury 5
Blencowe Elsie Dau F 1899 Banbury 12

Royal Navy

WW1

Blencowe John, 1900, Banbury, Seaman, J80788, Royal Navy

Synopsis

From being a boy entrant into the Royal Navy in 1917 Jack went on to have a very long Naval career serving in both world wars. Although he remained an able Seaman for most of his career he was recognised with both good conduct badges and the RN Long Service medal. Rejoining for WW2 he was given a leading seaman role in recognition of his experience and seniority.

1917

• 5^th Nov. Enlisted with the Royal Navy and served with the Royal Navy as an ordinary seaman. Living at Banbury and Occupation a factory hand.
• 5^th Nov – 17^th Mar. 1918. Boy 2nd Class recruit assigned to HMS Powerful an armed cruiser

1918

• 12^th April-27^th Aug. Assigned to HMS Iron Duke a Battleship.

  

  Note: The Battleship Iron Duke had in 1916 fought in Britains largest sea battle the Battle of Jutland.

1919

There is no doubt that Jack served during this year and perhaps on the Iron Duke which was placed into the Mediterranean Fleet.

 

 

1921 census

Jack is still aboard the Iron Duke and based in Malta at the HM shipyard.

Note on HMS Iron Duke

The Iron Duke remained on active duty for only a few more years; in 1930, the London Naval Treaty specified that the four Iron Duke-class battleships be scrapped or otherwise demilitarised. Iron Duke was therefore converted into a gunnery training ship; her armour and much of her armament was removed to render her unfit for combat. She served in this capacity until the outbreak of the Second World War in September 1939, when she was moored in Scapa Flow as a harbour defence ship. In October, she was badly damaged by German bombers and was run aground to avoid sinking. She continued to serve as an anti-aircraft platform for the duration of the war, and was eventually refloated and broken up for scrap in the late 1940s. – source Wikipedia

 

Medals

 

 

John was awarded the Star and British war medals

The UK, Naval Medal and Award Rolls, 1793-1972, Name: John Blencowe, Medal or Award: Victory Medal, British War Medal, Service Year: 1914-1920, Service Location: Europe Service Number: J 80778.

Note medals issued at ‘Victory” which was the WW1 name for the Royal Naval Barracks Portsmouth.

After the War

1929-1935 Royal Navy

• 23 January 1929. Posted to HMS Warspite which was was a battleship built for the Royal Navy during the early 1910s. Completed during the First World War in 1915, she was assigned to the Grand Fleet and participated in the Battle of Jutland. During this interwar period, the ship was deployed in the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, often serving as flagship.

  

   

• 16 October 1931. Posted after a spell at Victory RN HQ Portsmouth to HMS Excellent on Whale Island RN training station
• 21 February 1933. Posted to HMS Lupin a mine-sweeping vessel tasked with post-war mine clearance. It was this ship recorded in John’s Long Service and Good Conduct Medal. Service Year: 1930-1935, Ship Name: Lupin, RN Long Service and Good Conduct Medal.

  

21 May 1936. Posted to HMS Iron Duke a WW1 battleship that was by 1936 an RN gunnery training ship.

ww2

• 26 February 1939- 27 August 1940. Posted to HMS Ramillies a WW1 Battleship. With the outbreak of the Second World War in September 1939, Ramillies was initially assigned to escort duties in the North Atlantic. In May 1940, she was transferred to the Mediterranean Fleet as war with Italy loomed.

  

Note: 1939 Census records wife and children in Portsmouth, Hampshire, England

Annie E Blencowe
This record is officially closed. (child under age)
Edward H Blencowe
Doreen B A Blencowe
Blanch A Chillman

• 26 August 1940. Jack is allocated an RN pension but remains in service.
• 30 August 1942. Jack is posted to the Combined Training Centre in Inverary Scotland and given a promotion temporarily to a leading seaman.
• 10 September 1945. Jack is in hospital at HMS Spatiate a Royal Navy shore establishment in St Enoch’s Hotel Glasgow. He is discharged at this time.

Medals

 

 

Death 1969 age 69 years

Portsmouth Vol.6b Pg.1020.

GALLERY

Note: there are 5 records that exist for this man that is not shown in the Gallery for copyright reasons.