Blencowe Harry F 1893

Harry Francis Blencowe  [4426]

1893-1963

Father Nm: Edward Blencowe [3676] born 1854 Devizes M.Q. died prob 1905 South. Stoneham M.Q.

Mother Nm: Kate Medland [3081] born 1861 Devizes died Dec Q 1943 Winchester, Hampshire.

Marriage Dt:1919 to Una C Brett, Isle of Wight, Hampshire, Volume Number: 2b, Page Number: 1862.

Spouse comments: Una Charlotte Brett [8563] 1895-1957.

Children: Harry E 1922-1949.

(Research): GR[B] S Stoneham June 1893 GR[D] Is of WightSept 1963 Una C Blencowe GR[D] Weymouth,Dorset,Volume 6A,Page 605.

Born

24 April 1893 (1939c)

1901 Census 89 Market St Eastleigh, Hampshire

1. Kate Blencowe 42
2. Louie Blencowe 20
3. Harry Blencowe 7

1911 Census

1. Blencowe Harry Francis M 1894 17 South Stoneham Railway Office lad
2. Blencowe Kate Head F 1860 51 South Stoneham

 

 

WW1

Blencowe Harry, 1893, South Stoneham, Private, GS/71155, 2^nd Bn. Royal Fusiliers.

1916

• June. Possibly conscripted in 1916 by examining the regimental number in various resources¹ it would appear Harry was enlisted into the newly named 2/2^nd (City of London) Royal Fusiliers who had been formerly the 3/2^nd (City of London) Royal Fusiliers. If this is the case then war experience was thus. GS prefix to the regimental number means General Service Enlistment.

1917

• 22^nd Jan. Landed at Le Havre. Part of 173^rd Brigade, 58^th Division.
• 3^rd May. The Second Attack on Bullecourt. While the 58^th Division fought in this two-week attack it’s not clear that the 2/2^nd Bn. had an active role.
• 20^th May-16^th Jun. The actions of the Hindenburg Line.;20^th-25^th Sept.The Battle of the Menin Road Ridge.*;26^th-27^th Sept.The Battle of Polygon Wood.* While the 58^th Division is honoured with taking part in these battles it’s not clear that the 2/2^nd Bn. had an active role.
• 26^th Oct. -10^th Nov. The Second Battle of Passchendaele. * “The 58th Division, below the Poelcapelle-Spriet road. The 2/2^nd Bn. London’s, attack reached Cameron House — about 250 yards below the Poelcapelle-Spriet road — ‘A’ Company under Captain Harper cleared three of the four ” pill-boxes ” at this point and sent back 17 prisoners. ‘D’ Company, in command of Second Lieutenant J. P. Howie at 6.30 a.m. reached a “pill-box ” about 200 yards above the Lekkerboterbeek and stormed it, capturing 32 prisoners; and three-quarters of an hour later had to repel hostile counter-attacks directed against this point and Cameron House. ‘A’ Company, finding their flank uncovered by the retirement of the unit on their left, were compelled to withdraw.”²

The battles marked * are phases of the Third Battles of the Ypres

1918

• 24^th Mar. The Battle of St Quentin. (Although this was only a phase of the First Battles of the Somme 1918, 21 March – 3 April the Division was engaged at times throughout). “Still further south the 2/2^nd and 3^rd Londons, who had taken positions east of Chauny on the previous day, were attacked with great force after three hours’ bombardment. Despite their weakness, the attack was beaten off, and the battalions were enabled to continue their retirement, the 2/2^nd to Abbecourt.”²
• 4^th Apr.The Battle of the Avre, 24^th-24^th Apr.The Battle of Villers-Bretonneux, 8^th-11^th Aug. The Battle of Amiens.  While the 58^th Division is honoured with these battles it’s not clear that the 2/2^nd Bn. had an active role.
• 25^th Aug. The Battle of Albert +. “The second line London battalions were all involved in the attack. Moving from positions west of Bronfay Farm, the 2/2^nd and 2/4^th Londons pushed well forward to the east of the Carnoy-Suzanne road. The 2/2^nd at the end of the day lay astride the Fricourt-Maricourt road east of Carnoy, after capturing Carre Wood and an elaborate trench system.
•  31^st Aug-1^st Sept. The Second Battle of Bapaume .+ While the 58^th Division is honoured with taking part in this battle it’s not clear that the 2/2^nd Bn. had an active role.

+ the battles marked + are phases of the Second Battles of the Somme 1918

• 10^th Sept. Epehy-Pezieres.The battalion is now in the south near Peronne.

  

  “The Fusilier Brigade of the 58^th Division advanced against Epehy-Pezieres, all battalions were weak, the 2/2^nd Londons mustering only 17 officers and 481 other ranks before the battle. The 2/2^nd and 3rd London’s advanced to the attack at 5.15 a.m. The objective of both battalions was the east of the two villages. Pozieres was to be taken by the 2/2^nd, and Epehy by the 3^rd Londons. The German line in this sector had been heavily reinforced; and the Alpine Corps, a body of formidable troops, held the objectives of the Fusiliers’ attack. Neither Epehy nor Pezieres was thoroughly mopped up, and as a consequence when the counter-attack came the attacking companies of the 2/2^nd London’s found themselves surrounded. The men had to fight their way back. They retired on Tottenham Post, in the north-western outskirts of Pezieres, with a loss of 8 officers and 164 other ranks.”²

  

• Harry was possibly wounded in this battle or earlier in the year. Medical records show he was treated at 4th Stationary Hospital, Arques.

  

• 12^th Sept. Owing to the difficulty of replacing the casualties, the 2/4^th were amalgamated with the 2/2^nd on September 12^th.

Sources

1. Ancestry, CWGC records eg. Jones, Albert Edwin Private 71052 KIA 14^th Jan.1918.
2. The Royal Fusiliers In The Great War By H. C. O’Neill, O.B.E.

Medal Card

Awarded British and Victory medals.

After the War

1919 Marriage

1921 Census

Married and had one child after the war. Widowed in 1957.

1939 Census

Name Harry F Blencowe,  One other blanked person likely son Harry E  who was 17.
Gender: Male
Marital status: Married
Birth Date: 24 Apr 1893
Residence Year: 1939
Address: 105 Ruskin Rd
Residence Place: Eastleigh, Hampshire, England
Occupation: Scrapmetal Redaiming Cable Work??

Note wife Una is in Knowle Mental Hospital Droxford Hants in this census

1957 Widower

Una Blencowe dies abt March in Weymouth Dorset.

Death 1963 age 70

Date of Registration: Jul-Aug-Sept 1963, Age at Death: 70, Isle of Wight, Hampshire, Volume: 6b Page: 738.

GALLERY

Note: There is 1 record for this man that is not shown in the Gallery for copyright reasons.