William Blencowe

Unknown

Cheshire Regiment	Labour Corps

WW1

Blencowe William, Private, 1635, 360575, 1^st, 1/4^th Bn. Cheshire Regiment, Labour Corps

Pre War

• This William enlisted in Dec 1912 as a Territorial according to his serial number.
• William most likely rejoined the Cheshire Regt. (ie may have been in another Regiment prior) at the outbreak of war and joined the 1/4^th Battalion as per Medal Roll. Medal card says entered Gallipoli (2b Balkans) 19^th Sept. 1915.

1914

• • Aug. The 1/4^th Bn. At Birkenhead. Part of Cheshire Brigade, Welsh Division. Moved immediately on mobilisation to Shrewsbury and Church Stretton but by the end of August 1914 had moved to Northampton. In December 1914 moved again to Cambridge and by March 1915 was at Bedford.

1915

• 13^th May. The formation became 159^th Brigade, 53^rd (Welsh) Division.
• Jul. The 1/4^th Bn. Sailed in July 1915 from Devonport, going via Alexandria to Gallipoli where it landed on 9^th August 1915.

• 19^th Sept. William himself landed in Gallipoli to join 1/4^th Bn.
• The effects of a month of savage fighting that typified this campaign, few reinforcements and the dreadful blizzard of November reduced the Division to just 162 officers and 2428 men (about 15% of full strength). Between 11^th and 12^th December, the Division was evacuated and went on to Alexandria, where it began to arrive on 20^th December.³
• 20^th Dec. Arrives in Alexandria, Egypt.

1916

• The 1/4^th part of the 53^rd Division was based in Egypt for all of 1916.

  

1917

Note: In medal card and medal roll, William does not have a 6 digit Territorial number. These numbers were introduced beginning 1^st Mar 1917.

It seems William transferred to the Labour Corps in 1917 evidenced by number 358782 (a few below his number) transferred in about Sept. 1917 and number 360574 (one number off) transferred in October 1917.

If this supposition is accurate then William was at the following action with the Cheshire Regt. until then.

• Jan. The 53^rd Div. marched 150 miles across the desert and then went by train to Palestine with the purpose of covering the rail line build there.
• 8-9^th Mar. The capture of Munatir Ridge.

  

  A night advance over difficult ground resulted in the capture of Munatir Ridge by the 1/4th Cheshires, and 1/4th Welsh stormed Dar Jerir and Drage’s Hill in the face of strong opposition. Tell Asur [altitude 3318 feet] was captured by1/5th Royal Welsh Fusiliers at the point of the bayonet, and successfully held against three determined counter-attacks; while 1/1st Herefords carried Chipp Hill after heavy fighting.¹
• 10^th Mar. 158^th and 159^th Brigades captured important ridges in rapid succession and Kfar Malik was occupied at 14:00 hrs.¹
• Mid Mar. The 1/4^th Bn. along with its 159^th Bde was in the middle of March out of the line and at rest near Rafah. (duties sinking wells).²
• 24^th Mar Ordered to advance towards Khan Yunis (8 km north of Gaza) with the Australian Mounted troops. Gaza was held as an outpost by the Turks.²
• 25^th Mar Bde moved to a position near Deir El Belah.²

Notes: William and his battalion were facing certain challenges clothed rather lightly for the cold nights of the desert in only a serge jacket over tropical shorts and shirt. Water and rations were also problematic in the desert as Camels the only reliable form of transport had to carry everything forward but were very slow movers.

Also in this battle was Private, 4536 Albert Blinko in the same battalion as William, Private, 2671, William Charles Blencowe, 1/1st Staffords under orders of Anzac Mounted Division and Sapper, 2866, Edwin Blinco, Royal Engineers.

• 26^th-27^th Mar. The First Battle of Gaza.
  • Troops taking part in this battle Australian New Zealand Mounted Division, Imperial Mounted Division and William’s 53^rd Div.
    The orders were for the 1/4^th to (cross behind 158^th Bde) the Wadi Ghuzze. After crossing the Wadi the progress to Mansura Ridge for the 1/4^th was slow and subject to enemy shelling. The 1/4^th was in Bde support as the attack started at Mansura Ridge. The attack was successful the role of the 1/4^th seems to have been supporting only and the Fort at Ali el Muntar was taken. To the amazement of the troops involved in this victory, an order was issued on the 26^th to withdraw from the Ridge.²The British commander called off the attack so that the division’s casualties, close to 3,500, were suffered in vain.³
• 17^th -19^th Apr. The Second Battle of Gaza.
  • 24^th Mar. 49^th and 9^th Cheshires came up the Wadi Ghuzze between Hisea and Shellal.
  • 29^th The 53^rd Div. holding an outpost running from El Baggar to wadi Esh Sharia. The other divisions 60^th and 74^th were facing Beersheba while the Mounted troops were preparing to move further east. Eventually, 12,000 mounted men and horses were at Asluj and Khelasa. The resulting thrusts on the 30th were the capture of Gaza many prisoners of war and following a pursuit of the enemy by the 53^rd into November.
• Oct, Transferred to the Labour Corps of the Egyptian Expeditionary Force. (possibly No. 811 or 812 Area Employment Coys) he probably stayed in Egypt and Palestine for the duration of the war.

1918

• Serving with the Labour Corps in Egypt and Palestine.

1919

• 9th Jul. Disembodied.

Sources

1. The Long, Long Trail The British Army in the Great War, 1914-1918. 
2. History of the Cheshire Regt. in the Great War – Crookenden
3. Intelligence Briefing For The 53rd (Welsh) Infantry Division in Holland
4. A brief record of the advance of the Egyptian expeditionary force under the command of General Sir Edmund H. H. Allenby … July 1917 to October 1918

Medals

Confirms date of entry to Gallipoli campaign 11 Sept 1915.

Awarded 1914-1915 Star, British and Victory medals.

After the War

Plenty of William Blencowe’s so as for birth after the war records including death hard to determine.

GALLERY

Note: there are 3 records that exist for this man that is not shown in the Gallery for copyright reasons.