William Blinco  [4043]

1879-1923

Father Nm: James Blinco (Blinker) [3588] born 29 APR 1847 • Barrow, Suffolk
died 30 JAN 1908 • Barrow, Suffolk: Oldest Known Ancestor – Henry Blinker 1738 Suffolk.

Mother Nm: Susan Clarke [2816] born 1850  Higham, Suffolk died 26 FEB 1931 Colchester, Essex

Marriage Dt:1901, Frost Ethel Alice Thingoe 4a 1483.

K comments: Sister Ellen’s son Oliver Palmer served with the Essex 2/8th Regt and Machine Gun Corps in WW1

Spouse comments: Ethel Alice Frost 1881-1935. born Rougham, Suffolk died 31 JUL 1935  Kent

Children: Reginald Frost 1906-1979. Queenie E BLINCO 1910–1910, Eric W BLINCO
1915–1915, Joan M BLINCO 1919–

(Research):GR[B] Newmarket Dec 1878 1881 Census[Fisher].

Birth 1879 Gazeley, Suffolk, England

1881 Census

Age: 2 Tuddenham St Mary, Suffolk

1891 Census

1. James Blinco Head Married Male 43 1848 Engine Driver Thrasling Machine
2. Susan Blinco Wife Married Female 39 1852
3. Sarah Ann Blinco Daughter Single Female 17 1874
4. William Blinco Son – Male 12 1879 Agricultural Labourer
5. Ruth Mary Blinco Daughter – Female 1 1890
6. Bertie J Blinco Son – Male 1 1890

1901 Census Garland Street, Bury St Edmunds

1. Mary Darby Head Widow Female 60 1841 Tailoress, Hartest, Suffolk
2. William Blincoe Boarder Single Male 22 1879 Draper’s Traveller, Barrow

1911 Census Barrow-Green, Bury St Edmunds

1. Blinco Ethel A Wife F 1881 Rougham Suffolk 3
2. Blinco Reginald F Son M 1906 Bury St Edmunds 5
3. Blinco William Head Fish Hawker, Own Account M 1879 Gazeley 32

1912

• 1^st Feb. Enlisted in Territorial Army,  2^nd Volunteer Suffolk Reserves.

 

WW1

Blinco William, 1879, Newmarket, Sergeant, 1296, 290047, 681931, 5^th Bn. Suffolk Regt. 53^rd Reserve Battery. 306^th Brigade Royal Field Artillery.

1914

• 5^th Aug. Enlisted in Army 5^th Bn. Suffolk Regt.
• Corporal by Oct 1914 reached the rank of Sergeant and appears to have been in the UK until 1917. William (as a Territorial) would have been protected from serving overseas against his wishes until The Military Service Act of 1916 swept away the Home/Foreign service distinction, and all TF soldiers became liable for overseas service if medically fit.

1917

• 29^th Feb. Sheringham, Norfolk.

  

  Transferred to 1205^th(West Lancs) Battery RFA which was a part of the 223^rd Mixed Brigade whose role was physical conditioning to render men fit for drafting overseas. This unit was attached to the 64^th Division.

1918

• Jan. Based at Weybourne.
• 8^th Mar. Embarked from Southampton landed Le Havre 9^th Mar.
• 2^nd Apr. Transferred to 53^rd Reserve Battery RFA .
• 11^th Apr. Posted to ‘C’ Battery 306^th Brigade RFA this was part of the Divisional Artillery of the 61^st Division that fought in these battles in 1918.

The Division was decimated in the German spring offensive and at the time William joined it. It took quite some months for the Division to be rebuilt, but once ready it played an important part in the final defeat of the enemy. It joined XVII Corps and took part in actions in October 1918 at Bois L’Eveque, Pommereuil, Bousies Forest and Vendegies-sur-Ecaillon. It pushed on, across the rivers Rhonelle and Selle and into the industrial area of Valenciennes.

• 17^th– 25^th  Oct. The Battle of the Selle* The 61^st  Division, as part of the XVII. Corps of the Third Army, attacked on 24^th October. ” About many
  of the woods and villages which lay in the way of our attack there was severe fighting, particularly in the large wood known as the Bois L’fiveque, and
  at Pommereuil, Bousies Forest and Vendegies-sur-Écaillon. This latter village held out till the afternoon of the 24^th October when it was taken by an enveloping attack by troops of the 19^th Division  and 61^st Division.” ¹
  One Gunner Thomas T Furlong from “C” Bty. 306th Bde. killed on the 16^th Oct.
• 1^{st –}4^th Nov. The Battle of the Sambre. In the first week of November, the Division crossed the Sambre, the last prepared defensive position the enemy had. As a preliminary to the main attack, it is stated that on 1^st November the XVII. Corps of the Third Army and the XXII. and Canadian Corps of the First Army attacked a front of about six miles south of Valenciennes and in the course of two days of heavy fighting inflicted a severe defeat on the enemy. During these two days the 61^st, Major-General F. J. Duncan, 49^th and 4^th Divisions crossed the Rhonelle river, capturing Maresches and Preseau after a stubborn struggle, and established themselves on the high ground two miles to the east of it. On their left, the 4^th Canadian Division captured Valenciennes and made progress beyond the town.”¹ On the 3rd November the enemy withdrew, and the British line was advanced. The XVII. Corps was again employed on the left of the Third Army in the Battle of the Sambre on the 4^th November when the enemy’s resistance was definitely broken.”¹

The Division was relieved on 2/3^rd November and was south of Valenciennes, along the River Ecaillon, at the Armistice. It withdrew west, being near Cambrai by 17^th November and west of Dullens from 28^th November. The Division began to demobilise in January 1919 and for a time men were leaving for home at a rate of 1,000 per week. Two battalions were detached for duties at the Base Ports, otherwise, the Division was chiefly employed on guard duty and working parties.

1919

• 5^th Feb. William is appointed to Warrant Officer II
• 28^th Apr. Home leave.
• 2^nd Jul. Demobilised.

Sources

1. The Territorial Divisions 1914-1918 by J Stirling.

Medals

The medal card indicates a territorial Sergeant who served overseas after 1915. Awarded the British and Victory medals.

After the War

By 1921 William had opened his own restaurant (diningrooms) in Lambeth as the census shows. Note the Lambeth street directory for 1921 lists Mr Amy Harrison as owner of the dining rooms at 252 .courtesy of https://boroughphotos.org/lambeth

1921 census

252, Westminster Bridge Road, London, Lambet
William Blinco Head Male 1878 42 Suffolk, England Restaurant Keeper Employer
Ethel Alice Blinco Wife Female 1881 40 Rougham, Suffolk, England Home Duties –
Reginald Frost Blinco Son Male 1906 15 Bury St Edmund’s, Suffolk, England – –
Amy Harrison Visitor Female 1866 55 Bury St Edmund’s, Suffolk, England Visitor –
Camelia Agopardi Visitor Female 1899 21 Barcelona, Spain Chrous Girl Out Of Work
Cecil Arthur Smith Servant Male 1864 57 Bury St Edmund’s, Suffolk, England Kitchen Hand W Blinco Restaurant

 

Death 1923 age 44 years

Croydon, Surrey Volume: 2a Page: 391.

Gallery

There are 25 records in the National Archives for this man. For copyright reasons, they cannot be re-published.