Blencowe Edgar L 1891

Edgar Louis Blencowe  [4382]

1891-1926

Father Nm: Frederick John Blencowe [2452] born J. Q. Wolverhampton 1865 mother Bagley died 1915 Dec Q Wolverhampton; Oldest known ancestor- Francis Blencowe, 1655, Helmdon

Mother Nm: Amelia Reynolds [6665] 1867-1947 Wolverhampton

Marriage :

K Comments:

Brothers (Frederick) George served with the RFA, and Bertram Thomas served with the Royal Engineers and died while in England.

WW2:

Nephew George Henry served with the Royal Army Service Corps in the Middle East and was taken POW.

Spouse Comments:

Children:

1901 Census Coleman St Wolverhampton

1. Blencowe Ada M Dau F 1900 Wolverhampton 6M
2. Blencowe Amelia Wife F 1867 Swindon 34
3. Blencowe Edgar L Son M 1894 Wolverhampton 7
4. Blencowe Frederick J Head Baker, Confectioner Journeyman M 1867 Wolverhampton 34
5. Blencowe Percy E Son M 1892 Wolverhampton 9
6. Blencowe George Son M 1889 Wolverhampton 12

1911 Census Wolverhampton Staffordshire

1. Blencowe Ada Dau F 1901 10
2. Blencowe Amelia Wife F 1866 Swindon, Staffs 45
3. Blencowe Edgar Son M 1892 Wolverhampton 19
4. Blencowe Frederick Head Painter M 1865
5. Blencowe Percy Son M 1894 17

	Highland Light Infantry

WW1

Blencowe Edgar Louis, 1891, Wolverhampton, Private, 28826, 14^th and 7^th Bn. Highland Light Infantry.

There is some conflicting information in the Army records the Medal Index Card names him Edward so does the Silver War Badge record The Medal Roll Transcript from National Archives shows the name Edgar and the date of the birth year on the SWB record indicates born 1891-92 thus making it very likely it is Edgar Louis (misrecorded), not brother Percy Edward who doesn’t seem to have served anyway.

1915

The Medal Roll shows that Edgar was last in the 7^th Bn. Territorials, but because he wasn’t enlisted as a Territorial it is very likely this was a transfer to a base reserve battalion in 1918.

• 15^th Nov. Enlisted in the 14^th Bn. HLI. The 14^th was a Bantam Bn. which was formed in Hamilton. This indicates Edward was less than 5ft 3ins in height and would have been later enlisting because this restriction was lifted in later 1914 and the Bantam battalions started to form in this case the HLI was formed on 1^st July 1915. The 14^th Bn. was part of the 120^th Brigade, 40^th Division.

1916

• 3^rd Jun. Embarked on the SS Ceaserea for France, the Bn. arrived in Le Havre from Southampton.
• 5^th-7^th Jun. Entrained for Lillers, de-trained, and marched to Equedecques and to Billets
• 11^th Jun. Marched to Bethune.
• 13^th Jun.-24 Oct. In the front line trenches at Loos, Maroc, and Hulluch rotating to billets at Annequin, Les Brebis, Bully Grenay, and finishing up at the end of Sept. at Bailleul aux Cornailles.
• 25^th Oct. Entrained for the Somme area.
• Nov. In Hebtuerne area. The men arrived at Doullens on the 12^th  Nov., the famous battle was drawing to a close but the battalion was seconded to the 31^st  Division at Hebuterne. Leaving the trenches behind for now the battalion marches to Goren Flos arriving there on the 24^th Nov. After three weeks of training, the men moved to Camp 13.¹
• 14^th Dec. Battalion marches to St.Etoile entrain at Conde to Buire Sur L’Ancre then marches to Camp 13 a week later moving on to Camp 111.¹
• 26^th-29^th Dec. On the 26^th the battalion went on motor buses to Maurepas where guides were waiting to take the men to the trenches at North Bouchavenes in the front line.¹
• 30^th Dec. Moved to Asquith Flats in support, moved via Maurepas to Camp 17 at Suzanne Sur Somme.¹

1917

• Jan. Front line at Rancourt. After refitting the 120^th Brigade went into reserve at Maurepas Ravine living in tents and dugouts. Moved up to the front line on the 8^th, relieving 13^th East Surreys at Rancourt. Remained in the trenches until the 12^th of January, heavy shelling at times causing some casualties. Moved back to Camp 17 by motor lorry. Left this sector of the front for the last time on the 26^th Jan. and moved via Camp 124 to Corbie.¹
• 1^st Feb-30^th Mar. Peronne area. From the 1^st of Feb., the men were going through a period of training at Corbie before moving on the 17^th to Camp 112. On the 7^th Mar., the battalion moved via Camp 19 into Brigade Reserve at Howitzer Wood arriving on the 8^th.On the 10^th March, it’s back into the line to the north of Peronne with most of the battalion in position at Road Wood. There was some light shelling at this time and on the 18^th the battalion moved forward and occupied the Old German front line at Haut-Allaines. Going forward again A & B companies along with 2 coys of 148^th A & S Highlanders created a new outpost line at Aizecourt-le-Haut – Mont St Quentin. On the 25^th the battalion came out of the line and moved back to Howitzer Wood into Corps Reserve .¹
• 22^nd Apr. The men move by march route to Equancourt. The next day the CO and Coy Commanders go round the line and at 6 pm the battalion moves in fighting formation to Dessart Wood. At 11 pm the men move to take up a position as support for the 13^th East Surrey’s in the attack on Villers Ploich.
• 24^th Apr. Villers Plouich. Where 14^th Bn. captured Villers Plouich and about 250 prisoners and several machine guns and many souvenirs!

  

  • Zero Hour 24^th Apr. and the barrage commences, 2 minutes later the German barrage answers back. By 5.15 am the 13^th East Surreys have captured Villers Plouich and are asking for reinforcements. The 14^th HLI moves forward to the crossroads at R.13.a.8.3. and the Germans open up a heavy bombardment of the village and a line is taken up beyond the village and consolidated. A defensive flank was formed on the left and the night passed without incident. The 13^th E.Surreys and 14^th HLI are relieved by the Yorkshire Regiment and withdraw.¹

    

• May-Jul. Front Line at Villers Plouich, Gonnelieu and La Vacquerie.
• Aug-Sept. The front line at Beaucamp and Villers Plouich.
• 6^th Oc. Moved by Decauville Railway to Peronne.
• 8^th Oct. Peronne. The battalion moved by railway to Berneville.
• 9^th Oct. Berneville. Training
• 29^th Oct. Bernville. The battalion moved to Pommera.
• 16^th Nov. Pommera. The battalion moved to Berneville.
• 17^th-21^st Nov. Battalion moved to Courcelles Le Comte and then 2 days later onto Beaulencourt, one night’s rest, and onto Lebucquieres – No camp, put tents up in the dark
• 22^nd Nov. Lebucquieres. In tents.
• 23^rd Nov. Moved to Hindenburg Support Line.
• 24^th -27^th Nov. Battle for Bourlon Wood & Village.
• 9:30 am moved to Graincourt under orders of 121st Brigade. Ordered to take Bourlon Village along with 12^th Suffolks the same afternoon, Zero Hour 3 pm.
• Moved to Bourlon Wood through a barrage on Graincourt and Anneux Chapel, casualties were few but one platoon was knocked out before they managed to get into artillery formation. After reaching the rendezvous at 12.30 pm no definite orders were received so the move was made at 2.30 pm and the village was entered at 3.30. Three companies went on to reach the 4th objective in the German trenches to the north of the village, the other company lost direction and when they turned up were held in reserve.^2,1
• 25^th Nov. 6.30 am a strong enemy attack was made which caused a few casualties and 45 minutes later Col Battye DSO was hit by machine-gun fire and though he managed to get back to the HQ in Bourlon Village he died shortly after. Major J H Foster took command but was wounded an hour later and command of the battalion was taken by the adjutant Capt G C Manford.
• An attack was beaten off around 8.45 am when touch was lost with the front companies and the enemy was in the village in force. Repeated attempts to reach the cut-off companies were attempted but were beaten off by hostile M.G. fire which came from houses in the village
• 25^th-26^th Nov. 4:00 am. The 13^th East Surreys arrived to attempt to mop up the village, 3 companies were sent in but one had to be withdrawn to help beat off attacks. The E.S. HQ was established with the 14^th HLI and Lt Col H L Warden was ordered to command all troops in the Bourlon area. ^2,1
• 26^th Nov. At 4.30 pm. both HQs were evacuated from the village to a dugout about 500 yds in the rear.^2,1
• 27^th Nov. Evacuated through Bourlon Wood to The Hindenburg Support Line picking up stragglers on the way, still no contact with front Coys.

112 men of the 14^th Bn. H.L.I. died between 1st October 1917 to 30 November 1917. ¹

• 7^th Dec. The Scotsman reported Edgar (Blencowe. E) to have suffered severe wounding (this is just a few days after Bourlon Wood).
• November. Edgar would have first been treated at a Casualty Clearing Centre and then invalided out of the line to a hospital on the French coast. After some urgent surgery etc he would have then been transported in a Hospital ship to be admitted to Gt Britain. He was likely in England before the end of the year but how long in the hospital and how long in convalescence is unknown.
• It seems that it’s after this that Edgar was transferred to the 7^th Bn. HLI. Likely at the base depot until July 1918.

1918

• 5 Jul. Honourably discharged, disabled, and awarded the Silver War Badge.

Sources

1. The 14^th Highland Light Infantry website.
2. Cambrai 1917 Battle Story – Author Chris McNab.
3. 14^th Bn. Highland Light Infantry War Diary.

Medals

Awarded British, Victory medals and Silver War Badge.

Edgar was entitled to wear a single wound stripe on his dress uniform.

After the War

78 Lowe St, Wolverhampton

First name(s)	Last name	Relationship to head	Sex	Birth year	Age in years	Birth place	Occupation	Employer
Amelia	Blencowe	Head	Female	1866	55	Swindon, Wiltshire, England	Home Duties	–
George	Blencowe	Son	Male	1889	32	Wolverhampton, Staffordshire, England	Engineer (Filer)	Clyns Motor Works Wolverhampton
Edgar	Blencowe	Son	Male	1892	29	Wolverhampton, Staffordshire, England	Butcher	–
Percy	Blencowe	Son	Male	1894	27	Wolverhampton, Staffordshire, England	Labourer General	Evans (Butcher)
Ada	Blencowe	Daughter	Female	1900	20	Wolverhampton, Staffordshire, England	Domestic Service	Private

Death 1926 age 35

Wolverhampton Volume 6 Page 603. The nature of Edgar’s wounds suggests that his relatively short life span was due to those war wounds in some way. While we have no evidence to prove this it’s very possible this is another death due to war wounds.

Gallery

Note: there are 5 service records for this man that exist that are not shown in this gallery for copyright reasons.