Frederick Blincoe [3457]

1876-1919

Known as Fred.

Father Nm: Born out of wedlock

Mother Nm: Emma Blincoe [3170] abt1858 Birmingham (subsequently Stockton).

Marriage Dt:1 Sept 1899, St Matthews Church, Aston to Frances E Werrett.

The wedding was a double one: Frances’s brother Alfred James Werrett vol 6d p 568 in the same registration.

K comments: Son Frederick William [4642] served in WW1 with the 4th Bn. Dorsets.

Spouse Comments: Frances Ellen Werrett 1876-1913.

Children: Frederick William 1899, Laura Lilian Maud 1910,

(Research):prob GR[B] Aston June 1877 GR[M] Aston vol 6d p 569 Sept 1899 1881 Census.

Birth 1877

Born out of wedlock 6 Dec 1876 Bloomsbury, Warwickshire Registered 1877 Aston, Warwickshire, Volume: 6d, Page: 341

1881 Census

295 Lichfield Rd, Birmingham living with Grandfather and mother Emma Stockton (nee Blincoe)
Fredrick Blincoe 60
M.A. Blincoe 59
Fred. Blincoe 4
W.H. Stockton 22
Emma Stockton 22
Hannah Stockton 5

1901 Census

Living with Frances parents Albert and Harriet Werrett, Aston Warwicks

1. Blinco Frances Dau F 1876 Birmingham 25
2. Blinco Fred Son-in-Law, Horse? Barn M 1877 Bristol Gloucs. 24
3. Blinco William Grandson M 1900 Birmingham 1

1911 Census

49 Charles Arthur St. Nechells.

1. Blinco Francis Ellen F 1877 34 Horse Driver
2. Blinco Fred M 1876 35
3. Blinco Laura F 1910 1

Note: Ambiguity about the spelling of surname signs Census as Blinco and Army papers in 1915 as Blincoe.

Royal Berks Regiment

WW1

Blincoe (Frederick) Fred, 1877, Aston, Private, 21576, 9^th Bn. 8th Bn. Royal Berkshire Regiment, 22^nd POW Coy.

Synopsis

Fred is awarded in this project a Poppy as a war death. He was sent at 40 years to the battlefield of the Somme where he was wounded in action in 1916. His state of health and general fitness then was considered below par and he was given a light-role as a POW escort. This may be the place he came in contact with the disease as he may have contracted TB while on service as a POW escort in 1917. Infected teeth were the official reason he was taken out of the combat area and brought home but he was given a War Pension a recognition that his state of poor health was related to war service.

1915

 

• 6^th Dec. Volunteered for service in Birmingham, living at 42 Charles Arthur St. Birmingham. He was numbered 21576, given the uniform, and posted to the 9^th Royal Berks. This was the reserve and training battalion for the Kitchener battalions. Fred was a widower, aged 39 years. Fred left Laura his 6-year-old daughter and Fred W. his 16-year-old son with the maternal Grandparents. Fred was employed as a goods carter.
• 3 April. Mobilised. Told to report to Brock Barracks, Reading

1916

• 9^th Jul. He was sent to the 46^th Infantry Base Depot on the Western Front.

19^th Jul. Joined ‘A’ Coy² 8^th Bn. Royal Berks. The 8^th Berks had been in France since 8 August 1915: left Division and landed at Le Havre. and were transferred to the 1^st Brigade in the 1^st Division command. The Bn. had just fought the Battle of Albert and Bazentin when Fred joined them no doubt to replace casualties.

• 19^th Jul. War diary: 8:0PM. The battalion moved from Becourt Wood to O.G.I. (1st Old German Line trenches). Draft of 164 O.R. joined the Battalion
• 20^th Jul. 8:30 PM. The battalion moved from O.G.I. To the trenches near Lozenge Wood.
• 21^st Jul. Mametz Wood. The battalion moved from trenches near Lozenge Wood to the trenches W of Mametz Wood. The enemy started to bombard Shelter Wood with his new, small explosive but very pungent gas shells. This lasted until dawn and smoke helmets had to be worn.
• 22^nd Jul. In support Contalmaison. 9:30 PM. The battalion moved into the support of 10^th Glosters and 1^st Cameron Highlanders who were to attack the enemy’s temporary line = switch line = in front of Martinpuich. One company was placed at the disposal of O.C. 10th Glosters and one company was at the disposal of O.C. 1^st Camerons. These two Companies took up the position the first in O.G.I. And the second in the rear of Bazentin-Le-Petit Wood. The remaining two Companies took up position in the trench running along the sunken road between “The Cutting” and Mametz Wood. The two assaulting Battalions failed to enter the enemy’s trench. The two Battalions had fairly heavy casualties.
• 23^rd Jul. Front Line Contalmaison. 8:30 pm. The Battalion relieved all the troops of the 10th Glosters and 1st Camerons in the two Front trenches.
• 24^th Jul. Front Line Contalmaison. 3:0PM. The Corps’s heavy artillery bombarded the enemy’s switch line and Munster Alley. Our front line was evacuated while the bombardment lasted (about 5 hours).
• 25^th Jul. 12:30 am. A very heavy bombardment on our left under cover of which the 3rd Brigade attacked and captured Munster Alley and the 1^st Australian Division (having attacked and captured Pozieres on the night of 22^nd/23^rd) continued to push on. The 8^th Bn. was relieved in two front-line trenches by 8^th Yorks and Lancs Regt. on relief marched via Albert direct to Baizieux Wood where we went into a bivouac.
• 27^th Jul. Admitted to 70^th Field Ambulance and then on to 34^th Casualty Clearing Station at Avesnes with Corneal Ulcer. This could likely have been the result of the Gas/combat 21^st-25^th Jul.
• 6^th Aug. Rejoined Bn.
• 18^th Aug. Wounded in Action, Bazentin-le-Petit. Click on the map to enlarge.
• Noon. Battalion relieved 1st Bn. Black Watch in the front line with Bn. HQ at (map reference) S8 B1.5 with orders to attack the “Intermediate Line” at 2.45 pm. Front Line N of Bazentin-le-Petit. 2:45 PM. Bn. – less one Company – attacked the “Intermediate Line” between the barricade at S2b.8.5 and “the angle” at S.2.C8.4. The 15^th Division on our left co-operated by throwing out smoke bombs. Front Line N Of Bazentin-Le-Petit. 2:45 PM. At noon the heavy artillery commenced a bombardment of the “Intermediate Line” Unfortunately one gun was firing short and its shells fell on our front line just at the time when the relief was taking place. The effect of these shells was that many of our men were buried and the trench was so badly blown in that intercommunication between one portion of the trench and another was impossible. This caused a good deal of confusion and the Companies were scarcely in their position by the time they had to attack, and the flank attack on “the angle” was impossible because the platoon detailed for this was unable to get into its position in 70th Avenue. At 2.45 pm the front attack was made. At first, there was little resistance but when the 1st line had reached a point about 100 yards from the “Intermediate Line” they came under machine-gun fire, and a heavy barrage of the shells was put up by the enemy. The remainder of our men dug in about 150 yards from the enemy’s line but at about 4.0pm they were shelled out of their position and were forced to retire to the original front line. The Battalion lost heavily: 3 Officers were killed and 3 were wounded. The casualties among the men amounted to 160. ¹
• 21^st Aug. Admitted to 3rd S. Hospital Rouen. ICT right hand.

  

• 7^th Sept. Joined the Nominal Rolls of 46th Infantry Base Depot.
• 12^th Sept. Classified P.B.by medical board. (means Permanent Base, implying that he was unfit for active service and only employable in the base area in France.) Stayed at Base depot until 26^th Oct.
• 27^th Oct. Transferred for duty as Escort 22^nd POW company at Caudelie.
• 27^th Nov-6^th Dec. Leave to England.

1917

No records show activity but presume Escort 22^nd POW Company’s role continues.

1918

• 25th Feb. Embarked for England on SS St Patrick.

  

  Medical file denotes returned with infected teeth.

• 26th Feb. Admitted to Southern General Hospital Stourbridge. (presumably to treat infected teeth)
• 13^th Mar. 7 days furlough
• 23rd Mar. Joined Southern Command Depot, Perham Down, Andover Hants.
• Fred was recorded as absent from his home at 92 Scholfield St. during voter registration for the 1918 General election.

Name: Fred Blinco
Rank: Private
Electoral Date: 1918
Electoral Place: Birmingham, Duddeston, Birmingham, England
Regiment: 8th R Berks I
Service Number: 21576

• 24th Aug. 7 days furlough
• 30th Aug. posted to 4th (Reserve) Bn. Royal Berks at Blyth.

1919

• 20^th Feb. Discharged.

Sources

1. War Diaries of 8th Bn. Berkshire Regiment.
2. First World War Representative Medical Records of Servicemen NA MH106/698

Medals

British and Victory medals

After the War

Death 24 Oct 1919 age 43 years

Shortly after discharge Fred dies and it seems likely that he was not well when he was returned home in 1918 from the Western front, he was wounded and there are Pension records but nothing is specified in them apart from infected teeth in Dec. 1918. Fred could have equally died of Influenza or other ailments caused by the hardship of the War.

Date of Registration: Oct-Nov-Dec 1919, Age at Death: 43, Registration district: Aston Inferred County: Warwickshire, Volume: 6d Page: 445

Burial

Gallery

 

There are 19 records in the National Archives for this man. For copyright reasons, they cannot be re-published.

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