Frederick Reginald Blincoe [4654]

1900-1971

Known as Fred. He and his brothers changed the surname to Blincoe.

Father Nm: Edward Blincow [3918] born 1871 Chipping Norton D.Q. died prob 1960 Evesham.

Mother Nm: Emily Sheperd 1871-1949.

Marriage Dt: 1923, Rosa E Fildes, Worcester 6c 301. Rosa was married before and had one daughter also Rosa

K comments:

Brother Herbert Ernest served with the same regiment, Brother Leonard William with the Royal Field Artillery. Uncle Charles William Blincow served with the Somerset Yeomanry and Uncle William Charles Blincoe with the Navy.

Son Jack served with the RAF as did nephew Edward in WW2

Spouse comments: Rosa E Fildes1886-.

Children: Jack Blincoe 1924-

(Research):GR[B] Worcester June 1900 Volume: 6c Page:284, GR[D] Worcester vol 9d p 836 Dec 1971.

1901 CENSUS 1 NEWTOWN, BLOCKLEY, WORCESTER

1. Edward Blincow 29 Railway Port
2. Emily Blincow 30
3. Leonard E Blincow 5
4. Allen W Blincow 4
5. Herbert Blincow 2
6. Frederick R Blincow 11 Months

1911 CENSUS 42 HOLLY MOUNT ROAD, TUNNEL HILL, WORCESTER

1. Blincow Allan Son M 1897 Blockley 14
2. Blincow Charles Tinplate Maker M 1884 Chipping Norton 27
3. Blincow Edward Head Railway Worker M 1872 Chipping Norton 39
4. Blincow Emily Wife F 1871 Blockley 40
5. Blincow Frederick Son M 1901 Worcester 10
6. Blincow Herbert Son M 1899 Blockley 12
7. Blincow Leonard Son Waterproof Goods Worker M 1896 Blockley 15
8. Blincow Sidney Son M 1911 Worcester 1 Month
9. Blincow William Son M 1904 Worcester 7

Worcestershire Regiment	Worcestershire Regiment

WW1

Blincoe Frederick Reginald, 1900, Worcester, Private, 46056, 14^th Bn. Worcestershire Regiment

Note; Army records found have the surname as Blincoe instead of Blincow.

1916

• 7^th Jun. This date is given on Fred’s army records and is six months before his brother Herbert joined by my estimate. Fred was just 18 on enlistment.

1. We do know that he was with the 6^th Reserve Bn. Worcesters when he was discharged however his medal Roll indicates he was with the 14^th Pioneer Bn. Worcestershire Regt. The 14^th Bn. landed at Le Havre on 21 June 1916 and came under orders of the 63rd (Royal Naval) Division as Divisional Pioneer troops.

• Jun – Sept. Bn. On 24^th June the Bn. settled into billets at Bois de la Haie 3 miles from the front at Vimy Ridge and stayed there for 3 months. The Bn. working parties laboured away until Sept. under shell fire, fortunately, casualties were not heavy.
• Mid Sept The 63^rd Div was put into reserve and the 14^th Bn. marched west and then south to Vernas arriving on the 24^th Sept.
• Oct. The 63rd (Royal Naval) Division was transferred from the First Army to the Fourth and the 14^th Bn. were moved from their position at St Pol to the Somme begin on 4^th Oct. to prepare for the upcoming battle.
• 12/14^th Nov. The Battle of the Ancre. The Bn. Coys took part in the attack passing over the old front line and establishing a line from Beaumont Hamel down to the River Ancre. “A” Coy was involved in the attack on the village of Beaufort sur Ancre, by digging communication trenches while under intense fire. On the 14th Nov. the German redoubt fell, 8 Officers and 400 men were taken POW.

1917

• Jan.-Mar. The Operations on the Ancre On the 18^th Jan the Bn. shifted camps from Usna Hill to Englebelmer, and from that camp working parties were sent out each day.
  • 3^rd Feb. The first attack by the 63^rd Div was made, “D” Coy was sent forward to assist in the consolidation of captured positions when they arrived heavy fighting was still taking place. Part of the Coy held the enemy at bay while entrenchment was undertaken.
  • 7^th Feb. The taking of the trenches caused the Germans to evacuate Grandcourt and “B” Coy was sent to help clear the village of snipers and occupy it.
  • 17^th Feb. The 63^rd Div stormed the defences of Miraumont in this action “C” coy was attached to a Marines Bn. constructing wire fences in front of captured trenches. The 14^th Bn. remained working in and around Miraumont until the first week of March.
  • 20^th – 26^th Mar. Bn. marched from Val-des Maison to arrive at Mont Bernechon north of Bethune on the 26^th.
• Apr.
  • 8^th-10^th Apr. 14^th Bn. marched south through Bethune and billeted at Bruay. “D” Coy was detached for mining work at Estree-Cauchie. The remained of the Bn. marched forward on the 10^th to arras billeting at St Aubin.
  • The 14^th were detached from the 63^rd Div and placed under orders of the Chief Engineer XIII Corps. Employed to construct roads and communications north of Arras.
  • 14^th Apr. “D” Coy Rejoined the Bn. behind the 63^rd Div in the front line facing Gavrelle.
• 23^rd Apr. The Second Battle of the Scarpe, a phase of the Arras Offensive, in which the Division captured Gavrelle. A general attack involving 63^rd Div took place. The 14^th Bn. was employed near Gavrelle, the village having been captured by the 63^rd in the morning, “C” Coy was sent forward to help consolidate the front line retiring the next day.

• 28 -30^th Apr. The Battle of Arleux. A phase of the Arras Offensive. Initially having no part in the battle the 14^th was occupied in road building however at 9 pm an urgent order to go forward was received. The enemy was making a counterattack and the battalions holding Gavrelle were hard pressed. The Bn. was assembled ammunition issued and marched forward in the darkness. The Bn. was spilt up and attached to fighting units and at dawn on the 29^th the battle raging on all sides. Casualties for the action killed 2 Officers and wounded 11 OR’s.
• 20-30^th May. Gavrelle Front. Once more the 63^rd took over the line and the Bn. incurred several casualties from shell fire. Casualties Killed 6 and Wounded 23.

• 26^th Oct. – 10^th Nov. The Second Battle of Passchendaele. Throughout the fortnight of the fight the 14^th Bn. laboured on with continued losses from shell fire, gas and bombs. Casualties killed 2 Officers 18 ORs, and wounded 72 ORs.
• 10^th Dec. The Bn. detrained at Achiet le Grand and marched to camp at Beaulencourt.
• 17^th Dec. Bn. marched forward into Havrincourt Wood and remained there until 63^rd Div. took over the front line, then the Bn. moved forward into reserve tranches at Highland Ridge just north of Villers Plouich.
• 30^th Dec. The action of Welsh Ridge. Subsequent to the Cambrai operations the last fight of 1918 involved the 14^th Bn. in the trenches before Marcoing. The Bn. came under heavy bombardment but casualties were light.

1918

Sometime in 1918-19 Frederick was wounded or sick and he was transferred to the 6^th Reserve Bn. of the Worcestershire Regiment. The actions/movements of the 14^th Bn. are then not necessarily those of Frederick.

• 14^th Feb. The Bn. moved forward from their winter camp at Ruyaulcort to close to Trescault.
• 21^st-23^rd Mar. The German Spring Offensive. The first German bombardment fell near the 14^th Bn. who were in reserve trenches at Ribecourt. The bombardment lasted all day and in the evening the news that the enemy had broken through the front line and the Div. The 14^th had to retire just north of Trescault. The next day (22^nd ) the Bn. worked feverishly to make good defences but bombardment and gas increased the losses. At dust the Bn. was ordered to move back again marching through Havrincourt Wood to Ruyaulcourt. Dawn of the 23^rd the retreat continued until they were in reserve at Rocquigny. Casualties 5 Officers and 16 men gassed and 17 wounded.
• 24-25^th Mar. The Battle of Bapaume. The line continued to give way and the 63^rd Div was ordered to retire further. The 14^th Bn. were to proceed the Div. retreat and prepare a new defensive position on a line Delville Wood, past High Wood to the ridge at Flers. Two companies of the Battalion held the Ridge under a major onslaught losing officers until the sole surviving Major D N Rose decided to retire. The Bn. were able to withdraw and made their way down into Courcelette across shell-ridden land and up into the heights of Moquet Farm. “C” Coy was also ordered to retire from its position in Courcelette. After some consolidation, it was decided to retreat further to the ruins of Thiepval. Casualties Killed 3 officers and 14 OR’s and wounded or missing 3 Officers and 65 OR’s.
• 26^th Mar. The Bn. marched further back into billets at Engelebelmer.
• 25^th Jul. The 14^th Bn. left their post in Acheux Wood to march to St Leger.

• 21st-23^rd Aug. The Battle of Albert. The Bn. advanced behind the attacking force on the 25^th Aug. on Coy strayed beyond the force and had to use their rifles to counter enemy machine guns. The 63^rd Div was transferred after this battle to the XVII Corps and the Bn. was marched northwards to Boiry Ste. Ricitude.
• 2^nd -3^rd Sept. The Battle of Drocourt-Queant. A phase of the Second Battles of Arras 1918. The 14^th Bn. Pioneers were working hard behind the lines in this victorious advance.
• 26/27^th Sept.- 1 Oct. Attached to XVII Corps at Canal du Nord^. On the night of the 26^th Sept. the 14^th Bn. moved from their camp at Lagnicourt to west of Moevres. In front of the 14^th Bn. the naval battalions of the 63^rd Div waiting to storm the canal and use the bridges assembled in part by the 14^th Bn. The Bn. worked (under shell fire) through the darkness to prepare the tracks which would lead the troops from reserve into the front lines. As soon as the canal had been crossed the 14^th Bn. moved down to the banks to prepare the crossings under a storm of enemy fire. The attack was hugely successful capturing Ribecourt, Anneux and Bourlon Wood moving the next day almost to Cambrai.
• 8-9^th Oct. The Battle of Cambrai Assisting the 63^rd Div in the attack on Cambrai the 14^th worked on roadways etc under fire and time constraints. After this battle, the 14^th Bn. was put to the rear in reserve for rest at Morchies.

• 5-7^th Nov. The passage of the Grand Honelle, a phase of the Final Advance in Picardy.

The 63^rd Division was demobilised in France by April 1919. It had suffered over 47,900 casualties.

1919

• 28^th Feb. Discharged sick from the 6^th Reserve Bn. with whom he may have been placed during 1918 as illness very likely caused by trench conditions in that year.

Medals

British and Victory medals awarded plus the Silver War Badge

After the War

1923 Marriage to Rosa Grover, Worcester.

The family seems to have switched to using Blincoe during the period from 1915-1920’s all brothers married under this spelling, Fred’s Army records reflect Blincoe.

1939 Census

Name: Frederick R Blincoe
Gender: Male
Marital status: Married
Birth Date: 3 Apr 1900
Residence Year: 1939
Address: 23
Residence Place: Worcester, Worcestershire , England
Occupation: Worcester (O OP Branch Manager )
Schedule Number: 305
Sub Schedule Number: 2
Enumeration District: QICA
Registration district: 377.
Household Members:
Name
Rosa E Blincoe’s spouse
Frederick R Blincoe
Jack Blincoe Son was born 1924
Rosa J Glover
Gerald C Glover

Death 1971 age 71 years.

Worcester, Volume: 9d, Page: 836.

Gallery

 

There are 3 records in the National Archives for this man. For copyright reasons, they cannot be re-published.