Blencowe Frederick G 1889

 Frederick George Blencowe  [4280]

1889-1956

Known as George

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 Dt:1922 to Ethel Simpson

Apr-May-Jun 1922, Registration district: Wolverhampton, Inferred County: Staffordshire

Volume Number: 6b, Page Number: 1191

K Comments:

Brothers Bertram Thomas served with the Royal Engineers and died while in England, and Edgar Lionel served with the Highland Light Infantry.

WW2:

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

Spouse Comments: Ethel Simpson [6667] born 12.2.1894 died 1975 Wolverhampton 1922

Children: Joan D 1922, Kathleen M 1928.

(Research): GR[B] Wolverhampton March 1889 JD Walton

GR[D] Wolverhampton vol 9b p 880 June 1956

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 and 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 with Grandparents 58 Oak Street, Wolverhampton

1. Blencowe George Grandson General Grocery Dealer

	Royal Field Artillery

WW1

Blencowe (Frederick) George, 1889, Wolverhampton, Driver, 90710, Royal Field Artillery.

George was a Gun Train Driver ie Horse-drawn gun carriages driven by several horses with one or more drivers, The drivers could also be gunners and trained to load, fire the weaponry.

1914

• 24^th Aug. Enlisted at Wolverhampton occupation Turner
• 26^th Dec. Posted to the 173^rd Battery of the LIV (54^th) Brigade 10^th Irish Division. After initial training at the regimental depots, in 1915 the Division moved to the Curragh, Newbridge and Kildare.

1915

• May. The division moved to England concentrating around Basingstoke.
• 7^th Jul. Bn. joined Mediterranean Expeditionary Force¹
  (MEF).
• 9^th Jul. Departed from Liverpool for Lemnos.
• 20^th Jul. Landed Alexandria, Egypt.
• 9^th Aug. Embarked for Gallipoli with the MEF.
• 25^th Aug. Returned to Alexandria.
• 10^th Oct. Embarked for Gallipoli.
• 16^th Oct. Returned to Alexandria. The two trips from Alexandria to Gallipoli and back indicate that George was delivering guns to the front. It should be noted George’s Brigade the LIV Bde. landed after most of the 10^th Division on Gallipoli and it seems they also departed after most of the 10^th Div. Had moved on to Salonika on the 4-5^th Oct 1915.The LIV Bde. joining them later.
• 7/8^th Dec. Took part in the action at Kosturino, in the retreat from Serbia.

1916

• 17^th Jun. Salonika AWOL. Sentence to 21 days internment, arrested by French police only absent 3hrs!

1917

• 29^th Aug. The LIV (54^th) Bde transferred to 28^th Division which stayed on in Greece while the 10^th Division went to Egypt.
• 16^th Oct. The 28^th Division was in action during the occupation of Mazirko and the capture of Barakli Jum’ a. From the New York Times. London, Nov. 1. Barakli-Azuma, a strongly fortified village, nine miles southwest of Demir-Hissar, in the Struma section of the Macedonian front, has been captured by British troops, who further south also occupied the village of Prosenik and Kumli, the former being on the railroad between Demir-Hissar and Seres.

1918

• Feb and Jun. Letters from a worried Mother. letters are received by the Army from George’s mother who is distraught having lost one son (Bertram Thomas) in the war and also had one severely wounded she fears the worst. She identifies his last known address and brigade. No correspondence back from Army but presumably George was reprimanded and he eventually sent a letter home to his mother.

• 18-19^th Sept. The Battle of Doiran. The British and Greek armies attacked Doiran and the Bulgarian Army. The British concentrated 231 pieces of artillery, including heavy 8 inch howitzers. The bombardment took place over two days, included gas shells and concluded with a rolling barrage behind which the infantry was to advance. was a disaster for the British Divisions. They had to frontal assault ‘Pip Ridge’ which was a 2000 foot high heavily defended mountain ridge with fortresses built on some of the higher mountains, notably Grand Couronne. The British sustained very heavy casualties.
• 22-28^th Sept. The pursuit to the Strumica valley.
• 30^th Sept. Hostilities with Bulgaria ceasedThe Division in the area of Trnovo. The Division was ordered in early November to move to Gallipoli to occupy the Dardanelles forts. On 14 November 85th Brigade arrived at Constantinople and a Divisional HQ was established at Chanak.
• 12^th Nov. Embarked on troopship home, Home 19^th Dec 1918

1919

• 18^th Feb. Demobilised at No 4 Depot, Woolwich from 19^th Reserve Battery RFA

Source

1. The Mediterranean Expeditionary Force (MEF) was part of the British Army during World War I, which commanded all Allied forces at Gallipoli and Salonika. This included the initial naval operation to force the straits of the Dardanelles and later on Gallipoli. Its headquarters was formed in March 1915.
2. source www.wartimememoriesproject.com
3. 1918 mother is given as Constance? which is an error. Mother Amelia alive is mentioned in a demobilised document. Amelia died in 1947, Father had died in 1915
4. War Diary 28^th Div.
5. National Archives Medals Records.

Medals

Awarded 1914-1915 Star, British and Victory medals

Medals posted to 98 Rowe St Wolverhampton

After the War

1921 Census

78 Lowe st Wolverhampton

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

1922 Marriage

1922 to Ethel Simpson

1939 Census

Address: Thompson St 10
Residence Place: Bilston, Staffordshire, England
Occupation: Blacksmiths Striker

Household Members:
George F Blencowe
Ethel Blencowe
Joan Blencowe
Kathleen Blencowe

Death 1956

Died age 67 Wolverhampton