Joseph Blencowe [4601]
1898-1969
Father Nm: Reuben Blenco [1722]^ c 28.11.1873 Banbury; Oldest known ancestor Thomas Blencowe,1803, Bishops Itchington
Mother Nm: Ellen Elizabeth Parker 1875
Marriage Dt: 3 Dec 1921 married Letitia West at Banbury Parish Church
Twin Thomas a witness at the marriage
Kin comments: Twin of Thomas who served in the same regiment.
Father Reuben served with Oxford and Bucks and Durham LI was wounded in 1915 and discharged.

The extended family was part of a large commitment to the war. Uncles John and Edward also served with Oxford and Bucks. Cousin Albert was KIA with the Oxford and Bucks and cousins Harry RGA, John Royal Navy, and William Royal Engineers also served

WW2 Son Joseph served with the RAF in England, France and South Africa
Spouse Comments: Letitia West 15 August 1899
Children: Joseph 1922, Thomas Reuben 1923, Margaret P 1931
(Research): GR[B] Banbury March 1899 Transcr Banbury Parish Register GR[D] Brackley vol 3B p 562 March 1969.
BORN 8 December 1898 (1939 Census)
(also reference travel doc 1959)
1901 Census 5 Union St Neithrop
- Reuben Blencowe 28 Bricklayer
- Ellen Elizabeth Blencowe 26
- Reuben Blencowe 4
- Joseph Blencowe 2
- Thomas Blencowe 2
- Bertie Mafeking Blencowe 10 Months
1911 Census 5 Union Square Neithrop Banbury Oxfordshire
- Blencowe Annie May Dau F 1907 Banbury 4
- Blencowe Alfred Son M 1905 Banbury 6
- Blencowe Bertie Mafehing Son M 1901 Banbury 10
- Blencowe Charles Son M 1909 Banbury 2
- Blencowe Ellen Elizabeth Wife F 1876 Ireland 35
- Blencowe Ellen Elizabeth Dau F 1911 6 Weeks
- Blencowe Joseph Son M 1899 12
- Blencowe Reuben Head Bricklayer M 1873 38
- Blencowe Reuben Son News Boy M 1897 14
- Blencowe Thomon Son M 1899 12
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Online War Photo Album | Duke of Cornwall’s LI | DCLI Pioneer Bn |
WW1
Blencowe Joseph, 1899, Banbury, Corporal, 29940, 01431, 5430512, 10th Duke of Cornwalls Light Infantry
Synopsis
A twin with brother Thomas who was likely conscripted3 on the same day but with a different battalion of the DCLI. He served primarily in a Pioneer role ie earthwork construction etc. But from 1916 was in the midst of battles such as the battles of Deville Wood and Ancre in. In 1918 the German Spring Offensive meant combat action for all and later in 1918, the rapid movement of the Allies relied on most forces in combat roles. In 1918 he was wounded this was reported after the war on Tuesday 17 December 1918 in the
Weekly Casualty List (War Office & Air Ministry )
1916
- Feb. Enlisted in the 10th Duke of Cornwalls Light Infantry which was a Pioneer battalion that served as part of the divisional troops of the 2nd Division. Joseph probably was used to digging trenches, constructing roads etc and his role in combat fighting less than infantry soldiers however he was involved in occasional combat duties and of course, artillery bombardment and enemy fire when conducting his Pioneer work.2
- 20th Jun. The 10th Bn. landed at Le Havre and attached as Pioneers to the 2nd Division.4
Pioneer relief parties passing each other. Ernest Brooks was the first British official war photographer Library of Scotland - 15th Jul.-3rd Sept. The Battle of Delville Wood
- 21st Jul. The 10th Bn. had arrived by train at Saleux. They had spent the early part of the month at Villers au Bois, but on the 17th had marched to Ourton where they entrained for the Somme. On reaching Saleux they had detrained, had breakfast and then set out on a 22-mile march to Vaux-sur-Somme where they bivouacked near a wood. 4
- 22nd Jul. Bn. marched to Morlancourt and were billeted. They were put to work on trenching in this area.4
- 27th Jul. The Bn. ordered to carry ammunition and rations from the crossroads south-west of Bernafay Wood They reached the Wood at about 9.30 p.m. and came under extremely heavy shell-fire. “A” Coy alone had casualties of twenty-nine men, of whom eight were killed and four missing.4
- 28th Jul. The Bn. took part in combat. During the evening, some of the Bn. went up from Bernafay Wood, carrying ammunition and stores. The Bn. was ordered to counter-attack in Delville Wood. “D” Company appears to have done very well and was highly praised by O.C., South Staffs. Casualties all told were about twelve wounded and one missing”.4
- 1st Aug. The Bn. working around Trones Wood and Bernafay and in Delville Wood was forced to wear their gas masks, which further increased the difficulties of working.4
- Dec. After the Battle of the Ancre the 10th Bn. moved with the 2nd Div. to rest and training areas, but during the second week of Dec. arrived at Aveloy Wood from Lealvillers. That was on the 9th. The next day Battalion Headquarters and the machine gunners arrived at the dug-outs in Authuille Wood The 10th bn. now set to work-laying trench–boards, clearing up and ballasting the light railways, excavating flint for ballast, draining shell holes, and collecting material from the old German lines. But perhaps their foremost work-it is mentioned more frequently was the trench-boarding. They were always more or less under shell fire and their working parties had frequently to cease work altogether owing to the attention of the enemy’s guns. On the 21st the 10th Bn. marched to Albert Station and there entrained for Conteville, marching from the latter place to Yvrencheux4
1917
- 9-13tth Jan. On the 9th Jan. the Bn. marched from Yvrencheux to Bernaville and on the 11th Jan. to Puchevillers They left Puchevillers the next morning marching to Ovillers Huts On the 13th Jan. the Bn. began its labours which included the tramways from “P” Dump, cleaning, boarding and pumping Ironside Avenue and work on the Pozieres–Courcelette road
- Apr-May. Battle of Arras The 2nd Div. lost 3,400 men in the First and Third Battles of the Scarpe. The 10th Bn. was working in the battle areas of both the First and Third Battles of the Scarpe
- 3rd May. The Bn. were near recently captured Fresnoy Two platoons of the 10th Bn. were attached to battalions in assisting to place the two points in a state of defence, also in carrying up through very heavy artillery and machine-gun fire a large quantity of S.A.A., and later formed a dump on the objective. The Bn. also supplied two parties of men as stretcher-bearers, each proceeding to the front line to carry back wounded men. ‘C’ Coy dug a communication trench in the Arleux Loop area. Another company dug 300 yards of a trench for a battalion of the 5th Division. The losses of the 10th Bn. on this day were two other ranks and one officer killed and eight other ranks wounded and two other ranks missing.4
- 20-29th Jun. Bethune-La Bassée area The 2nd Division moved north to a sector immediately north of the La Bassee Canal, the 10th Bn. arriving at Bethune on the 20th of June.4
- 23rd Jun. the Bn moved via Beuvry to Le Preol.4
- 25th Jun. ‘A’ Coy. were employed in ‘clearing up the following communication trenches by day. at night repaired the front line which had been broken in by a German raid. “After a heavy bombardment, which opened at 7.30 p.m. on the night of the 25th, two parties of German storm troops raided the trenches of the King’s in the neighbourhood of the Red Dragon Crater One party was driven off, but the other penetrated the trenches, only to be driven out shortly afterwards by a spirited attack led by two newly joined subalterns. ‘A’ Coy. Readied for action but not needed then rebuilt the damaged trench wall.4
- 29-30th/ Jun. Temporarily attached to the XV Corps for work under the Royal Engineers. The battalion in two groups was entrained at Bethune for Camp de Mitry, northeast of Coxydeon on the Belgian coast.4
- 2-12nd Jul. Attached to the 1st Division. Working on the front line just north of Nieuport Bains 4
- 9
th Jul. The Bn. moved to new camp south-west of Oost Dunkerke
- 10th Jul. 1 officer and 50 men of ‘D’ Coy went off to work at Grand Redan north of Nieuport This was the day of the German attack. The Pioneers were at work excavating for shelters but had to cease work owing to the heavy shell-fire. From the sea to northeast of Nieuport the whole of the XV Corps area was swept by violent artillery fire, while in the back areas, it was so intense that A and B Companies of the D.C.L.I. Had to evacuate their camp. Two men of ‘A’ Coy.’ were killed, 2 seriously wounded, both dying later, while ‘B’ Coy had 1 man “gassed” and 2 wounded.4
- 12th Jul. The Bn. was set to work burying cables. Nieuport was still under heavy fire and the work was much delayed. At the end of their task ‘A’ Coy.’ had lost 2 men killed and 4 wounded, ‘B’ Coy.’ 2 killed and 7 wounded.4
- 17th Jul. – 7th Nov. Temporarily attached as Pioneers to 66th (2nd East Lancashire) Division.
- 26th Sept. The Bn. moved with the 2nd Div. to Ridge Wood – Ypres Sector. 4
- 27th Sept. March to a camp north of the Ypres-Vlamertinghe road and about 1,500 yards west of Ypres
- 29th Sept. Construction of a road under shell fire between Wieltje–Gravenstafel (which was currently held by the enemy). On the 29th one man was wounded: on the 30th Sept. 8 casualties were suffered, of whom one officer and two other ranks.4
- Oct. The 10th Bn. continued to work in the front line during the battles of Broodseinde, Poelcapelle and 1st Passchendaele. On the 26th Oct., they came out of the line, having lost 3 officers wounded, 1 died of wounds, 13 other ranks killed and 60 wounded.4
1918
- 21st Mar. The German Spring Offensive 2nd Division was in Corps reserve at Bapaume but was soon called forward to stem the advance. It was another costly action, with 3,900 casualties by the time the division had been pushed back to the old 1916 Somme battlefields. A move to Arras followed, and in the allied offensives of 1918, the 2nd Division participated in the fighting for the Drocourt-Queant Switch Line, the Canal du Nord, Cambrai and the Battle of the Selle. This was a very costly period of the war – in only seven weeks casualties amounted to 5,240 officers and men. 4
- 24-26th Mar. The First Battle Of Bapaume The 10th Bn. was placed under the orders of the 5th Infantry Bde. and moved to a line east of Barastre and Haplincourt Later the Bn. covered the withdrawal of the 24th Royal Fusiliers to Beaulencourt 4
- 25th Mar. Though the 10th was only involved partially in one combat of the 25th the casualties were significant; 1 officer and 14 other ranks were killed, 7 officers and 76 other ranks were wounded and 19 other ranks missing.4
- 26th Mar. The 10th Bn. had passed the night of the 25th/26th near Beaumont Hamel: the enemy was still pressing hard, but for the time being the Battalion was not in contact with him. At 5 a.m. Bn. ordered to withdraw to the old British line running in a north-westerly direction across the Hawthorn Ridge and just southeast of Auchonvillers. The movement was carried out successfully, the enemy offering no opposition.4
- 27th May. The 10th Bn. moved back to La Bazeque Wood for rest and training. Until the 7th of June, the Bn. were out of line.4
- 7th Jun. The 10th Bn. moved forward again to Monchy Hill South and Pommier
- Sept. The Battles of the Hindenburg Line. The 10th Bn. were engaged on tracks through Havrincourt Wood, then (as the Div. advanced) to OrivaI Wood. As may be supposed, all roads were in a damaged state, many being obliterated by shell fire, but the 10th working in conjunction with the Royal Engineers repaired them and made it possible for the guns and transport to move forward.4
Troops of No. 1 Platoon, A Company, 10th Battalion, Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry (DCLI) breakfasting on their way to the line. Near Le Quesnoy, 27 October 1918.
IWM Q 7154
Brooke, John Warwick (Lieutenant) (Photographer) - Sometime before the end of the war, Joseph was wounded and hence may have missed some of the action above.
- 11th Nov. 2nd Division was in reserve near Le Quesnoy.3
1919
- Joseph went on to serve in the Army of Occupation in Germany until March 1919 when the 10th Bn. was officially disbanded. He has likely discharged this point and re-enlisted a few months later.3
During the period of 1916-1918, the medal roll shows three separate entries for Joseph with the 10th Bn. DCLI. It seems, that Joseph was either wounded or sick requiring treatment in England. and thus was transferred to a Y list and then transferred back to his battalion when fit. Given the long period on the Western Front, it’s not surprising that Joseph was wounded or was sick
After the War
Re-Enlisted 26th Jun.1919
Like many soldiers who were demobilized at that time, and found it impossible to obtain a job, it would appear that he rejoined the DCLI in June 1919. By that time he was an acting Corporal. He would have enlisted for the standard engagement of 7 years with the Colours and 5 years on the Reserve. His serial number at this time was 01431 this series of numbering was scrapped and hence he has a new number 5430512 when issued with his GSM medal in 1923
The Great Iraqi Revolution of 1920, or the 1920 Iraqi Revolt, started in Baghdad in the summer of 1920 with mass demonstrations by Iraqis, including protests by embittered officers from the old Ottoman army, against the British occupation of Iraq. 3
From Hugo White at the Cornwall Regimental Museum
The DCLI 2nd Battalion was in Nasiriyeh Iraq, losing two men killed and five wounded
“The Discharge Book is more forthcoming. It shows that he enlisted at Oxford on 26th June 1919, aged 20 years and 7 months. He gave his civilian trade as ‘Boot & Shoe Repairer’, and his place of residence as Banbury, Oxfordshire. He would have enlisted for a period of 7 years with the Colours, followed by 5 years on the Reserve’.1
Immediately below his original enlistment is written: “Re-enlisted 25th September 1922”. This is just 3 years and 3 months after his original enlistment. Immediately after the Great War when there would have been a shortage of recruits to rebuild the army, the War Office may have allowed short service engagements of 3 rather than 7 years; however, I can find no documentary evidence to support this.”1
“He would have had an interesting time with the 2nd Battalion. In June 1919 the 2nd Battalion was deployed in Transcaucasia, a highly volatile part of the world following the Russian Revolution. In August of that year, it returned to England, being stationed at Crownhill Barracks, Plymouth until 26th September 1919 when it set sail in the troopship China for Bombay. From Bombay, it moved to Calcutta to begin what was hoped to be a tour of many years in India
However, the Iraq rebellion broke out on 30th June 1920. Many infantry battalions, including 2nd DCLI, were hurriedly moved to Iraq. The 2nd Battalion sailed from Bombay on 17th September in the troopship Concordia. The Battalion was stationed at Nasiriyeh, from where it took part in various local operations
On 26th February 1921, the Battalion embarked on the troopship Huntsend bound for Malta, where it was hoped that it could find stability after so many moves. Their hopes were thwarted because a British coal miners’ strike was called in the Spring of that year. This was very serious indeed. It was the first national coal strike and could have brought the country to a complete halt very quickly
On 5th April 1921, the Battalion re-embarked on its old friend Huntsend and sailed for Devonport2
The Battalion was not employed in strike duties, and their time at Raglan Barracks, Devonport, came as a welcome relief. It was during this period that (Joseph) Blencowe took the opportunity to marry Letitia West.
The situation was too good to last. Later that year the Irish Rebellion broke out, and the 2nd Battalion was moved post-haste to Dublin. There, until the declaration of the Irish Free State in 1922, the Battalion carried out internal security duties in and around Dublin
They were the last British unit to leave the Irish Republic. On the evening of 30th January 1922 the Union Flag was hauled down over Dublin Castle, and the following morning the Irish tricolour was hauled up in its place. The Battalion marched down to Dublin docks that morning and left for Tidworth
There it remained for a very short time before being posted to Cologne as part of the British Army of Occupation of the Rhine. Even there they were not safe from the hands of the Staff intent on keeping everybody on the move. No sooner had the Battalion arrived in Cologne, than it was moved to Silesia to oversee the plebiscite to determine whether this rich coal mining area should be returned to Germany.
At last, in 1924, the 2nd DCLI moved to the Channel Islands where they were able to enjoy three years of peace and quiet.”
Discharged 1926
Discharged on termination of his 7 years engagement on 25th June 19263
Sources
- Cornwall’s Regimental Museum.
- Notes from Hugo White at Cornwall’s Regimental Museum provide the movements of Joseph & Thomas between 1919-1926.
- Enlistment estimated from the serial number as service record for serial number 2850 DCLI is 25 March 1916 and it follows that with so many men being brought on sometime in April he would have enlisted and given twin brother also had consecutive number then enlisted same day.
- The-History-of-The-Duke-of-Cornwalls-Light-Infantry-1914-1919 by E Wyrall.
- CWGC The Battle for Delville Wood.
Medals
Awarded the British, Victory and General Service Medals
Joseph was entitled to the Silver War Badge but may not have been awarded it.

Medal card indicates GSM medal sent to Bragginton Lane, Middle Cheney, Oxon
Medal and Clasp awarded IRAQ awarded 1923
Notes
- GSM medal award identical to twin brother Thomas
- Criteria for IRAQ clasp All officers, men and nurses who served at Ramadi, or north of a line drawn east and west through Ramadi between 10th December 1919 and 13th June 1920, both dates inclusive, or were present on the establishment of a unit or formation within the boundaries of Iraq between 1st July 1920, and 17th November 1920, both dates inclusive.
1939 Census
30 The Avenue, Middleton Cheney.
FIRST NAME(S) | LAST NAME(S) | DOB | SEX | OCCUPATION | MARITAL STATUS | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Letitia | Blencowe | 15 Aug 1899 | Female | Unpaid Domestic Duties | Married | ||||
Joseph | Blencowe | 08 Dec 1898 | Male | Bricklayer | Married | ||||
Margaret P | Blencowe | 19 Apr 1931 | Female | At School | Single |
1959 Visited south Africa
Occupation Bricklayer, address given as 30 Avenue, Middleton Cheney Banbury, Oxon. the purpose of the visit possibly to see son Joseph Blencowe b. 1922 who married in Cape Town 1943. Recently widowed this was most likely a sad trip for Joseph to make to his son.
Death 1969 Brackley age 70 Years.
GALLERY
Note: there are 3 records that exist for this man that is not shown in the Gallery for copyright reasons.