Blincoe Thomas E W 1899

Thomas Edgar William Blincoe [4614]

1899-1958

Known as Tom

Father Nm: Thomas William Blincoe [3347] born 30.3.1870 Bottisham, Suffolk : Oldest known ancestor- Thomas Blinko Married 1767

Mother Nm: Ellen Mathilda Baker 10.2.1872

Marriage Dt: 1927 Droitwich, Worcestershire

K comments:

Brother Victor George served with the Suffolk Regiment. Uncle Charles may have been the inspiration for Victor George to join the 2nd Bn. Suffolks in 1912 and they both served the regiment in WW1, uncle Charles being KIA 1918. Uncle Arthur was killed in Apr 1917 serving with Royal Fusiliers at Passchendaele and Uncle Frederick served with the East Kents before being honourably discharged. Younder Brothers Edgar Clarence and Aubrey served in WW2

Spouse Comments: Bertha Lacey born 

Children: Gerald T Blincoe Jun Q 1928 Droitwhich, Peter W Blincoe born Mar Q 1929 Droitwich, Christine I Blincoe born 4 Q 1936 Droitwich

Birth 1899

Name: Thomas Edgar Blincoe, Date of Registration: Apr-May-Jun 1899, Registration district: Newmarket, Cambridgeshire, Volume: 3b, Page: 532

Note the name Edgar doesn’t appear after birth rather Thomas William like his father seems to have been adopted.

1901 CENSUS BOTTISHAM CAMBS

1. Blincoe Prudence 5
2. Blincoe Thomas Head Groom on Stud Farm 31
3. Blincoe Thomas 1
4. Blincoe Victor 6
5. Blincoe Ellen 29
6. Blincoe Ethel 8

1911 CENSUS BOTTISHAM, CAMBRIDGESHIRE

1. Blinco Stanley 6
2. Blinco Thomas Head Stableman Racing Stables 41
3. Blinco Thomas 11
4. Blinco Victor Son Farm Labourer 16
5. Blinco Edgar 3
6. Blinco Ellen 39
7. Blinco Esther 18
8. Blinco Marjorie 5
9. Blinco Mervyn Son 9

Kings Royal Rifle Corps

WW1

Blincoe Thomas (Tom) William, Private 44197, 13th Bn. Kings Royal Rifle Corps

The Regiment Serial number indicates an enlistment date of around April 1918, no other information other than the medal card and a newspaper report of his wounding in 1918..

1918

• 19^th Aug. North of Essarts moved to a large dug-out jointly occupied by the 13^th Rifle Brigade Coy. ‘B’.
• 20^th Aug. Moved into Top Trench at Map F 21.d At 23:00 hrs. ordered to move into Assembly positions east of the Bucquoy-Aylette road for the attack.
• 21^st-27^th Aug. The Battle of Albert. The initial objective was to capture high ground east of Bucquoy and Ablainzeville. At zero hour plus 8 mins, the tanks joined our attack which successfully achieved the blue line taking POW”s from the 15^th Bavarians. The 63^rd Div passed through the 13^th KRRC lines in the evening.
  • 22 ^nd Aug. Gas shelling in the night and an attempt to counter-attack by the enemy was repulsed. Orders were received to attack again on the 23^rd.
  • 23^rd Aug. The Bn. marched up to relieve a battalion of the 63^rd Division when they reached the Logeast Wood when they ran into Phosgene Gas Shelling. A shell landed in the middle of a Platoon and several men were laid out. The attack on Gommecourt although began and was very rapid the use of Whippet tanks to aid the rush forward. The first objective was gained but with senior Officer loss. CWCG records show 26 men killed this day.²
  • 24^th Aug. further advances made this day. A move towards Bapaume expected on the 25^th CWCG records shows 19 men killed this day.²
  • 25^th Aug. Received orders to attack and capture the village of Favreuil (north of Bapaume). This attack was stalled by strong resistance and while the 13^th KRRC entered the village it was relieved before it was taken. On 27th the Bn. was pulled from the front line for a rest. The battalion took 6 Officers and 555 OR’s as POW”s in this action. A wide discrepancy between war diary reported deaths of 45 for August and 73 from CWGC records. Wounded from the war diary for the month recorded as 11 Officers and 279 OR’s.^1.2
• 10-13^th Sept. Attack on Trescault.

  

• 10^th Sept.Orders were received for the attack on the village of Trescault and the high ground around it.
• 12^th Sept. The attack began with the 13^th KRRC on the left the 13^th Rifle Brigade on the right. During assembly ‘A” and ‘C’ Coys were subjected to heavy shelling with gas.  ‘A” and ‘C’ Coys. moved to the crossroads outside the village and then ‘A” went into the village and ‘C” to the north of the village. “D’ Coy. was in reserve on the first day. ‘B” was used to mop up after ‘A’ Coy. The village was defended ferociously, hand to hand fighting and heavy casualties sustained as Coys. in the open without much cover. A German counter-attack was also launched later in the day. 18 battalion men were killed on this day.²
• 13^th Sept. Pushing northwards the battalion met more resistance and this day 21 men were killed. Many POW’s were taken and the battalion was relieved at the end of the day by the 10^th Royal Fusiliers.
• 11^th Oct.

  

  It seems given the date of this publication Tom was very likely wounded either on the 12^th or 13^th of September at Trescault. We do not know how serious his injuries were or how long he was out of action but it’s likely he returned to his battalion as no transfers are recorded and no early discharge either. Tom possibly returned after the Armistice had been signed. At the Armistice, the 13^th KRRC were at Caudry and Beaurains. The battalion stayed in this area until December and then moved to Jumet (north of Charleroi) Belgium where they stayed through 1919 as they were gradually disbanded and the men demobilised.

Sources

1. War Diary of the 13^th Battalion KRRC.
2. CWCG records by Regiment from www.hut-six.co.uk

Medals

British and Victory Medals

Tom entitled to wear a wound stripe on the left arm of his dress uniform.

After the War

1921 Census

Satableman, Clouds Stables, East Lodge, East Knoyle, Wiltshire,

Death 1958 age 58

Worcester, Worcestershire, Volume: 9d, Page: 303

Gallery

 

There are 3 records in the National Archives for this man. For copyright reasons, they cannot be re-published.

The 13th KRRC Regiment was taken in 1919, Tom is likely in one of these Battalion photos. photographs supplied by Richard Dixon a member of the Great War Forum

Richard had an uncle who served with the Battalion in 1917/1919 – 2Lt
Vivian Dixon.