Walter Montague Blencow [4185]

1885-1954

Father Nm: {Tom} Thomas Blinko [3623] born 27.1.1850 Souldern c: Oldest known ancestor -Thomas Blencowe abt 1475 Marston St Lawrence.

Mother Nm: Sarah Purdy [3152] 1847 London

Marriage Dt: 1916 to Ethel M Amstrong, Lewisham, Kent Volume Number: 1d Page Number: 2048.

Kin comments: Brother Frederick served with Rifle Brigade, Liverpool Regiment.

Spouse comments Ethel M Armstrong [8960] born 1886 died 1951 Surrey

Children: Geoffrey Walter 1920-1975.

(Research): GR[B] Lewisham June 1885 GR[D] Surrey NE vol5g p 555 June 1954.

1891 Census Sydenham

1. Sarah Blencowe 40
2. Edith F Blencowe 13
3. Frederick T A Blencowe 9
4. Walter M Blencowe 6

1911 Census 3 Douglas Villas Upper Colfe Rd, Forest Hill Lewisham

1. Blencowe Edith Dau Dressmaker F 1878 Deal 33
2. Blencowe Frederick Son Correspondent Clerk M 1882 Deal 29 Lewisham London
3. Blencowe Sarah Head F 1851 London 60
4. Blencowe Walter Son General Clerk M 1885 Sydenham 26 Lewisham London

Royal Fusiliers	Labour Corps

WW1

Blencowe Walter Montague, 1885, Lewisham, Corporal, 39127, 61882, Royal Fusiliers , Labour Corps.

It may be that Walter was used as a Clerk (his pre-war occupation) to assist in the logistics in the supply of equipment and consumables to the war effort with first the Royal Fusiliers and later the Labour Corps.

1916

• May. The regimental number 39121 (W. Archer) was enlisted with the 35^th Bn. Royal Fusiliers on 3^rd May 1916 and Walter would have been enlisted around that date and very likely in one 33-37^th Labour Battalions. Formed at Seaford (33^rd) and Falmer (34^th to 37^th) in May and June 1916. The most likely battalion for Walter the 35^th landed in France on 8^th June and moved to Rouen, where it was engaged in unloading from ships docked there. In April 1917 these battalions became the 99^th to 108^th Labour Companies, Labour Corps.

1917-18

• The Medal Card roll is for the Labour Corps, Walters’s last regiment, and thus consistent with the transfer mentioned above in 1917. It seems likely then that Walter was with either the 103 or 104^th (April 1917 the 34^th and 35^th Bn. Labour Battalions became the 101^st 102^nd 103^rd and 104^th Labour Companies of the Labour Corps.)
• 1917 and 1918 the Labour Companies would have been involved in some dangerous work at the front (some men KIA in the records). In 1918 the 103^rd Labour Company made the Basse-Boulogne British Cemetery, Lempire, which contained the graves of 67 soldiers from the United Kingdom and Australia. The Germans had captured this area in the spring offensive of 1918 and held it until 18^th September 1918, when it was regained by the 6^th Northampton’s. The Cemetery was a little east of the hamlet of Basse-Boulogne

Sources

1. The Long, Long Trail The British Army in the Great War, 1914-1918.
2. Royal Fusiliers In The Great War by C. O’Neill.
3. CWGC .

 

The medals card is the only record available for Walter and it doesn’t tell us much except that he was awarded the Victory and British medals for overseas service.

After the War

1921 Census

41, Milner Road, Merton, Surrey
Walter Montague Blencowe Head 1885 36 Sydenham, Kent, England Chief Clerk & Stores Accountant Temporary Civil Servant Disposed & Liquidation Commission

Ethel Mabel Blencowe Wife1886 35 Dulwich, Surrey, England Home Duties –
Geoffrey Walter Blencowe Son1920 1 East Finchley, Middlesex, England – –
Edith Blencowe Visitor Female 1878 43 Deal, Kent, England Accountants Clerk at George Frederick Richardson Incorporated Accountant

1939 census

“Windyridge” Wirp Hill, East Horsley, Guildford, Surrey,

Walter M Blencowe 26 Feb 1885 Civil Servant Principal Probate Registry Married
Ethel M Blencowe 11 Dec 1885 Unpaid Domestic Duties Married
Geoffrey W Blencowe 28 Mar 1920 Incapacitated Single 36 3

Death 1954, Age 69 years

Died 26 June 1954

Surrey North Eastern Surrey Volume: 5g

Probate

GALLERY

Note: there are 2 records that exist for this man that is not shown in the Gallery for copyright reasons.