Blencowe James O 1893 – Blencowe Family in World War One

James Orpington Blencowe [9033]

1893-1977

Father Nm: Charles Blencowe [3649] was born in 1852 Towcester: Oldest Known Ancestor Thomas Blencowe abt 1475 Marston St Lawrence.

Mother Nm: Annie Elizabeth, b. 1858, Towcester, Northamptonshire, England died 1941 Lynchburgh

Marriage Dt:

K comments: Brother Thomas Charles served with the Canadian Engineers and then as a Pilot with the RAF.

Cousin Alan Geeding Blencowe served in WW1 with the US Navy

Spouse comments:

Children:

1900 Census Battletown, Clarke, Virginia

Charles Blencor 48
Ann E Blencor 40
Isabell B Blencor 8
James O Blencor 6
Thomas C Blencor 5
Kate V Blencor 3
Roberta E Blencor 1

1910 Census Berryville Clarke, VA

Charles Blencowe 57 Retail Druggist Own store
Annie E Blencowe 45
Isabell V Blencowe 17
James O Blencowe 15
Thomas C Blencowe 13
Katherine Blencowe 11
Reberta Blencowe 9

1918

Occupation Bank Bookkeeper at the First National Bank Berryville Va.

James Orpington Blencowe, 2666138, D Battery, 149th Field Artillery, 42nd Division

1917

5^th Jun. Drafted. Occupation, Bank Bookkeeper.

1918

2^nd Apr. Enlisted, information about this service is provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs Death File. Name: James Blencowe
Gender: Male
Birth Date: 7 Sep 1893
Death Date: 8 Mar 1977
SSN: 578368682
Enlistment Date 1: 2 Apr 1918
Release Date 1: 7 May 1919
Note the 42 Division and in particular, at this time were in training in the Luneviile Sector of France.
June. James is listed as a passenger of SS Siboney outbound from Norfolk Virginia USA. Name: James O Blencowe
Departure Place: Norfolk, Virginia
Residence Place: Berryville, Virginia
Father: Charles Blencowe
Ship: Siboney
Rank: Private
Service Number: 2666138
Notes: Headquarters Company 313th Field Artillery 80th Div.

USS Siboney (ID # 2999) In New York Harbor, with her decks crowded with troops returning home from France, circa late 1918 or 1919. Photographed by E. Muller Jr., New York. Collection of Captain Clarence S. Williams, USN. Donated by Mrs. Clarence S. Williams, 1975. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.
12 july. James arrives in Brest, France
Transferred from 313th FA, 80th Div. to 149th Field Artillery, 42nd Div in 1918 and this is unlikely to have been much before June 1918. So for the purposes of this describing his likely place of joining the 149th Batt., we begin in June 1918 in their war history.

Note: The 149th Field Artillery consisted of 6 Batteries A to F. The Battery consisted of 300 men, horses and roles from ammunition supply, horse care, to gun crews was occupied. Because the US Army had no modern guns when they arrived a deal was struck to use French Artillery Guns. Each Battery was either to have four French 75mm Guns or 135mm Howitzers. To get a really detailed view of their war link to the book The Project Gutenberg eBook of Battery E in France, by Frederic R. Kilner.

Jun. The 149th was in the Baccarat Sector of France at the beginning of the month.
This positional map from May 1918 shows 149th Field Artillery near Montigny. click to enlarge. Map from http://croixrougefarm.org/history-42nd/
21st Jun-Jul. The 149th as part of the 42nd Div went to the Champagne area to participate in the bigger war. Generalissimo Foch had asked General Pershing for the division to help turn back the massive German “Peace Assault” on Paris. The division traveled by train to Champagne-Marne and became part of General Henri Gouraud’s IV French Army. In the battle there on July 14, 15, and 16, 1918, it earned a reputation as a fighting force.³
click to enlarge. Map from http://croixrougefarm.org/history-42nd/
7^th July. The 42nd Div. was withdrawn and proceeded to the Vicinity of Chateau Thierry.⁴
25^th Jul-3^rd Aug. The division participated in the Aisne-Marne Offensive as part of the l st Army Corps, capturing Croix Rouge Farm and Sergy, and engaging in another severe fighting at the crossing of the Ourcq.⁴ Casualties for the US “Rainbow” Division in that operation were 184 officers and 5,469 men.³
Photo fromThe Organizational History of Field Artillery by Janice E. McKenney

Photo from Organizational History of Field Artillery by Janice E. McKenney
click to enlarge. Map from http://croixrougefarm.org/history-42nd/
11^th Sept. After returning to full strength the division went on the offensive at St. Mihiel on September 11, 1918. It was one of 13 divisions in the 1st US Army for its first all American operation and the biggest American operation of the war up to then.³
click to enlarge. The 42nd Div can be seen in the centre of the allied forces.. Map from http://croixrougefarm.org/history-42nd/
11^th Oct. Immediately after helping defeat the outnumbered Germans at St. Mihiel, the “Rainbow” moved 60 miles to the Argonne Forest in October. In a much tougher war, it replaced the mentally and physically exhausted US 1st Division on October 11, 1918.³
14-16^th Oct. With regiments abreast, the “Rainbow” went into the Argonne battle on October 11. They attacked on October 14 and inched back and forth in an attempt to penetrate the Hindenburg Line at the Kriemhilde Stellung, one of four German defensive lines. When the division stalled on October 15, the commander of its 83rd Brigade, Brigadier General Michael J. Lenihan along with the commander of his 165th (New York) Infantry Regiment and the regimental adjutant were sacked on the order of the Corps Commander, Major General Charles P. Summerall. The (Alabama) 167th and the (Iowa) 168th regiments were given responsibility for the battle on October 16, at a hill called Côte de Châtillon, they successfully assaulted the most formidable part of an in-depth network of wire and carefully prepared German defences.
click to enlarge. Map from http://croixrougefarm.org/history-42nd/

That hard-fought victory said in the “Rainbow’s” history to have been the toughest of its battles, was influential in establishing the place of the United States at the peace table. The (Alabama) 167th and the (Iowa) 168th shared equal honours for their parts in the win.³
Nov. Participating in the Sedan fighting in November, the “Rainbow” was on the “Drive to the Rhine” when the war ended on the 11th.³.
Dec, The 149th FA enters Luxembourg. The division then crossed Luxembourg and Belgium and marched 200 miles into Germany as part of the Army of Occupation.³.
Black and white photograph of a wagon train crossing a bridge over a river with fenced enclosures visible in the foreground and a hilltop in the background. Signal Corps #38594. From the Catalogue of Official A.E.F. Photographs taken by the Signal Corps: “One hundred and forty-ninth Field Artillery (formerly First Field Artillery, Illinois National Guard) crossing Sauer River into Germany at Echternach, Luxemburg [sic]. December 3, 1918.” Typed on a white strip on the bottom of the photograph: “Artil. crossing into Germany at Esternach [sic] Luxembourg [sic]. Dec. 3, 1918.” Handwritten caption on the back of the photograph: “149 Field Artillery crossing Sauer River into Germany at Esternach [sic] Luxembourg / Dec 3 – 1918”. From the service of Francis Joseph Lebeau, Gunner (R), U.S. Navy.

1919

18^thApr. Embarks from Brest, France for the USA
Arrival Date: 26 Apr 1919
Arrival Place: Hoboken, New Jersey
Residence Place: Berryville Virginia
Father: Charles Blencowe
Ship: LEVIATHAN
Military Unit: BTRY D 149TH F.A.
Rank: Private
Service Number: 2, 666, 138
Notes: BATTERY D – 149TH FIELD ARTILLERY
26^th April. James arrives in New Jersey to a scene such as this.
The Library of Congress. Waiting for “Leviathan” (LOC) Bain News Service, publisher.
7^th May. Demobilised, information about this service is provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Sources

The U.S., Army Transport Service, Passenger Lists, 1910-1939
Battery E in France, 149th Field Artillery, Rainbow (42nd) Division, Author: Frederic R. Kilner
http://croixrougefarm.org/history-42nd/
BRIEF HISTORIES OF DIVISIONS, US Army 1917-1918
The Organizational History of Field Artillery by Janice E. McKenney
SS Sibourney sailings

Medals

James awarded the US Victory medal which depending on when he joined the 149th would have had clasps for each battle and offensive-defensive roles. A State medal possibly Maryland would have been awarded after the war.

After the War

1921 Residence: – 1612 Bull, Columbia, South Carolina, USA

James O Blencowe – Clerk
Thomas C Blencowe Brother – Acid Maker A Agriculture Co

1927 825 Vernon Avenue Apt 2, Washington, District Of Columbia, USA

James O Blencowe – Salesman, E Morrison Paper Co.
Catherine E Blencowe Sister -Stenographer Veterinary Business
Charles Blencowe Brother – Pharmacist Capitol Drug Company

1940 Census

Franklin Avenue, Montgomery, Maryland

Sister Katherine is head of the household but is confusingly mixed up with there mother Annie Vlader Blencowe . Sister Dorothy and her son also live in the same household.

James Blencowe 42 Government Auditor
Catherine? Blencowe 80 Mother
Dorothy Valk 35 sister
Henry Valk 11 Nephew
This appears to be Mother Annie and daughter Catherine who may have been in the house and is missing from the list and also mistranscribed

1941 living at Silver Spring Md.

U.S., World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942

Name: James Orpington Blencowe, Birth Date: 7 Sept 1893, Birth Place: Rockingham, Virginia, Residence: Montgomery, Maryland

1950 census

Living with sister Katherine at 8037 Eastern Ave , Montgomery, Maryland

Katherine E Blencowe 51 Head Verifier/Coder Veterans Administration
Dorothy Valk 43 sister typist Federal Govt
Henry Valk 21 Nephew
James Blencowe 54 Government Auditor

The U.S., Department of Veterans Affairs BIRLS Death File, 1850-2010

Name: James Blencowe, Birth Date: 7 Sept 1893, Death Date: 8 Mar 1977, SSN: 578-36-8682, Enlistment Date 1: 2 Apr 1918, Release Date 1: 7 May 1919

Social Security Death Index about James Blencowe

Name: James Blencowe

SSN: 578-36-8682, Last Residence: 21215 Baltimore, Baltimore City, Maryland, United States of America, Born: 7 Sept 1893, Died: Mar 1977.

Note: there are draft card records that exist for this man that is not shown in the Gallery for copyright reasons.