William Henry Blincoe DCM  [4599]

1892-1959

Father Nm: Albert Blencowe [3735] [3252] c 24.7.1859 Birmingham St. Thomas -1931: Oldest known ancestor – William Blencowe 1729 Mixbury.

Mother Nm: Elizabeth Hannah Anderton [10812] born 1863 Kings Norton.

Marriage Dt:1914 to Phoebe Buckley.

King’s Norton, Warwickshire

Volume Number: 6d Page Number: 239.

K comments:

• Brother George Frederick Blinko served with the Gloucester Regt.
• Brother Herbert Blincoe served with 2/5th Essex Regiment, 11th Bn. Royal Fusiliers, Ist London Regiment.
• Brother Alfred Blinko served with the South Lancashire Regiment.

Spouse Comments: Phoebe Buckley

Children:

(Research): GR[B] Kings Norton June 1892 GR[D]Birmingham Dec 1959.

1901 CENSUS 83 SILVER ST KINGS NORTON WORCS.

Albert Head Wire drawers Labourer M 1852 Birmingham 49.

1. Alfred Son M 1899 Birmingham 2.
2. Edith Dau Domestic servant F 1887 Birmingham 14
3. Gerty Dau F 1896 Birmingham 5
4. Elizabeth Wife F 1863 Birmingham 38
5. Elsie Dau M 1894 Birmingham 7
6. Ethel J Dau F 1901 Birmingham 2m
7. Fred Son M 1895 Birmingham 6
8. Herbert Son M 1889 Birmingham 12
9. Louisa Dau F 1891 Birmingham 10
10. Nellie Dau F 1888 Birmingham 13
11. William Son M 1892 Birmingham 9
12. Albert Son Wire drawers Labourer M 1881 Birmingham 20

1911 CENSUS 26 FLORENCE RD, KINGS HEATH, BIRMINGHAM

1. Blinko Albert Head Brass Wire Drawer M 1861 Small Heath 50
2. Blinko Alfred Son M 1899 Kings Heath 12
3. Blinko Edith Dau Vuer Brass Factory F 1887 Kings Heath 24
4. Blinko Gerty Dau F 1898 Kings Heath 13
5. Blinko Elizabeth Wife F 1862 Kings Heath 49
6. Blinko Elsie Dau Brass Worker F 1895 Kings Heath 16
7. Blinko Ethel Dau F 1901 Kings Heath 10
8. Blinko Frederick Son Butchers Servant M 1896 Kings Heath 15
9. Blinko Gladys Dau F 1902 Kings Heath 9
10. Blinko Herbert Son Brass Wire Drawer M 1889 Kings Heath 22
11. Blinko Louie Dau Domestic Servant F 1891 Kings Heath 20
12. Blinko Nellie Dau Boxer Cadburys Bars F 1887 Kings Heath 24
13. Blinko William Son Labour Brass Wire M 1893 Kings Heath 18

Online War Photo Album	Royal Warwickshire Regiment

WW1

Blincoe William Henry, 1892, Kings Norton, Sergeant, 2712, 305338, 2/8^th Battalion Royal Warwicks (TF), 8^th Reserves Royal Warwickshire Regiment.

SYNOPSIS

One of four brothers to serve on the Western Front all four entered later in the war, William in 1916 but Herbert, Alfred and Fred arrived there in mid 1917. While William was decorated with the DCM and discharged early in 1917 (wounded or sick). The other brothers were blessed with some luck and seem to have survived without serious injury.

1914

• 6^th Sept. May have enlisted before 1914 in the Territorial Army as when he enlisted was recruited into the 2/8^th Bn. Royal Warwicks a Territorial Force Battalion. This was a “second line” battalion and certainly in 1914 it was not intended to be used in the front line, Lord Kitchener and senior Army Generals didn’t think much of the discipline and capability of the TF battalions. Until 1916 William would not be obliged to serve on the western front but that changed in 1916 with the Service Act and hence it was in that year the 2/8^th Bn. was dispatched to France. The battalion became part of 2^nd Warwickshire Brigade, 2^nd South Midland Division. August 1915 and was re-designated as 182^nd Brigade, 61^st (2^nd South Midland) Division in 1916.

1916

1. 21st May. Embarked and landed in France.
2. 19^th Jul. The Attack at Fromelles:

   

   The first major action in which the 61^st Division was engaged turned out to be an unmitigated disaster. An attack was made on 19^th July 1916 at Fromelles, a subsidiary action to the much larger battle taking place further south on the Somme. The Division suffered very heavy casualties for no significant gain and no enemy reserves were diverted from the Somme. Such was the damage to the Division and its reputation that it was not used again other than for holding trench lines until 1917. William and the 2/8^th Royal Warwickshire were not involved in the attack on Fromelles but in reserve and lost just one man on this day.

3. 18^th Aug.While holding trench lines William was to distinguish himself for his bravery. This resulted in the award of the DCM. The action was a raid on the night of 18th August 1916 in an area called Moated Grange.
4. From the war diary: 10 pm-11.30 pm A small raiding party, after blowing in enemy’s wire via a Bangalore* torpedo, raided his crater west of the Duck’s Bill. Found it unoccupied but destroyed his work in a number of timbers, planks and stores. The torpedo has destroyed nearly all his wire on one side of the crater. The party returned with no casualties. Note: the area is just to the south of Fauquissart.
5. A notation on the Citation at The National Archives specifies the exact place as Moated Grange and also states dates as 18 and 19 Aug 1916

• Oct 1916 Newspaper announces Williams award.

It appears that in this action William was wounded two medical records exist for him at Find My Past here.  While not sighted so the exact dates are not known we do know he was first admitted to the 4th Stationary Hospital which was likely at Arques. From there he was invalided to England and admitted to the County Of Middlesex War Hospital at Napsbury.  After treatment, he was discharged and posted

---

to the 8^th Reserve Battalion of the Warwickshire Regt. before his discharge in 1917.

Note *:

The Bangalore torpedo was primarily used for clearing barbed wire before an attack. It could be used while under fire, from a protected position in a trench. The torpedo was standardized to consist of a number of externally identical 1.5 m (5 ft) lengths of threaded pipe, one of which contained the explosive charge. The pipes would be screwed together using connecting sleeves to make a longer pipe of the required length, somewhat like a chimney brush or drain-clearing rod.

A smooth nose cone would be screwed on the end to prevent snagging on the ground. It would then be pushed forward from a protected position and detonated, to clear a 1.5 m (5 ft) wide hole through barbed wire.

1917

• 27^thMar. Honourably discharged at Coten End unfit to serve due to illness.
• 15^thMay. Presented with the DCM by Lieutenant General Henry Sclater at Victoria Square, Birmingham.

Medals

Awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal DCM ( Gazetted 26^th Sept. 1916). Also the British, Victory medals plus Silver War Badge.

William would also have been entitled to wear at least one wound stripe on his dress uniform on the left sleeve.

After the War

1939 Census

Name: William Blincoe
Gender: Male
Marital status: Married
Birth Date: 3 May 1892
Residence Year: 1939
Address: 64 Springfield Rd
Residence Place: Birmingham, Warwickshire, England
Occupation: Painter & Paperhanger Own a/C
Schedule Number: 108
Sub Schedule Number: 1
Enumeration District: QBVG
Registration district: 384/10
Inferred Spouse: Phoebe Blincoe
Household Members:
Name
William Blincoe
Phoebe Blincoe
Ada Brickley

Death 1959 age 67 years

England & Wales, Death Index: 1916-2006, Name: William H Blincoe, Birth Date: abt 1892, Date of Registration: Oct-Nov-Dec 1959, 

Registration district: Birmingham, Inferred County: Warwickshire, Volume: 9c, Page: 445

Gallery

 

There are 4 records in the National Archives for this man. For copyright reasons, they cannot be re-published.