Blincow Walter 1891

Walter Blincow [4378]

1891-1937

Father Nm: Isaac James Blincow [3104] born Dec Q 1852 Dudley -1921: Oldest known ancestor – Henry Blincow 1709 Kings Sutton

Mother Nm: Isabella Taylor [6745] 1854 Tipton- 1915

Marriage Dt:1915 Fylde

K comments: Four other brothers served, and war diary 2/1st all survived the war.

• William Henry known as Harry Blincoe went to Canada as a teenager and served with the Canadian Expeditionary Force.
• Arthur served with the RAMC.
• Percy Reginald served with Kings Own Royal Lancasters and the Machine Gun Corps.
• Albert Ernest served with the RAMC.
• In WW2 daughter Irene was widowed when her husband Harold Grinnell was killed in action

Spouse Comments: Edith Richardson born 2.7.1886

Children: Irene Blincow born 1924 Fylde

Birth 1891

Dec Qtr, Blincow Walter Toxteth Park Volume 8b Page 216.

1901 Census Blackpool – Note father a boarder Liverpool running own assurance business.

1. Isabella Blincow 47
2. Joseph H Blincow 19
3. Walter Blincow 9
4. Percy R Blincow 8
5. Helen L Blincow 7

1911 Census 3 Barber Place Sheffield Ecclesall Bierlow Yorkshire West Riding

• Blincow Arthur Son Insurance- Superintendent M 1885 Rotherham 26
• Blincow Percy Reginald Son Pork Butcher M 1893 Chorley 18
• Blincow Helen Louisa Dau F 1894 Chorley 17
• Blincow Isaac James Head Insurance Canvasser M 1853 Tipton 58
• Blincow Isabella Wife F 1854 Tipton 57
• Blincow Walter Son Steam Hammer Driver -FOUNDRY M 1892 Liverpool, Lancashire 19

Royal Field Artillery

WW1

Blincow Walter, 1891, Liverpool, Gunner, 2898, 681867, 2/1st West Lancashire Divisional Ammunition Column, Royal Field Artillery

Note: There is a need to carefully check the details in this personal page the unit in 1915 is a recent find directly below and the assumptions in text need to be checked

Until I found this record I was unsure of Walters’s initial regimental unit. However, this 1915 Court Martial record is Walters as we have no other W Blincow in the West Lancashire RFA

Full Name Blincow, W
Incident Date 13 Sep 1915
Rank Name Gunner
Date of Court Martial 9 Sep 1915
Nature of Charge
The accused was charged with ‘Absent Without Leave’. This offence is given in Section 15 of 1881 Army Act.
Sentence
42 days detention
Where Held
Weeton Camp
Primary Unit
Royal Field Artillery
Secondary Unit
2/1st West Lancashire Divisional Ammunition Column
Tertiary Unit Territorial Force
Archive Reference
WO86/66
Unit Royal Field Artillery

The 2/1st West Lancashire Ammunition Train was a unit of the Territorial Force that served in World War I. It was part of the 57th (2nd West Lancashire) Division, which was formed in France in November 1915 ¹. The Divisional artillery moved to France in October 1915 and joined 2nd Canadian Division ². The 57th Division was involved in several battles during the war, including the Battle of Guillemont, the Battle of Ginchy, the Battle of Flers-Courcelette, and the Battle of Morval ². The 2/1st West Lancashire Ammunition Train was responsible for supplying ammunition to the artillery units of the division

1915

• 1^st Jun. Enlisted as a Territorial. In 1917 Walter is recorded with the 276^th Bde. (West Lancs) 55^th Div. He is recorded with the 2/1st West Lancashire (57th Div) Divisional Ammunition Column in Sept 1915 as above.

The brigade came under orders of the West Lancashire Division. The division was in effect broken up when most of its infantry battalions were ordered independently to France in late 1914.

1915

• 1^st Oct. The divisional artillery including this brigade was placed under orders of the 2^nd Canadian Division and crossed to France, landing at Le Havre on 1^st October 1915. Before sailing, its 15-pounder field guns were replaced by modern 18-pounders.

  

• 2^nd Oct. 2^nd West Lancs. Bde. detrained at Caestre and via Bailleul to billets at Berthen.
• 3^rd Oct. The 9^th Lancs Batt (Walter’s ) is positioned between railway lines East of Hesken and North of Westoutre.²
• 7-8^th Oct. The 9^th Battery is moved to SW of Westoutre near Franchesbeek.²
• 9^th Oct. The 2^nd West Lancs Bde moved to relieve the 2^nd Canadian Field Artillery brigade which in turn took up with the Canadian 1^st division.¹
• 11-12^th Oct. Batteries start bombardment of enemy trenches²

  

• 16^th Oct. All batteries were prepared to retaliate against German shelling and Kemmel and La Clytte were shelled by the 2^nd CFA brigade (ie West Lancs RFA)¹
• 11-12^th Nov. Batteries bombardment of enemy trenches.²

1916

• 2-4^th Jan. The West Lancashire Division, now titled the 55^th (West Lancashire) Division, was ordered to re-form in France and the artillery rejoined it at Hallencourt between 2-4^th January 1916.
• 15^th May. The brigade was given the number 276 and the 9^th, 10^th and 11^th Lancashire Batteries became “A”, “B” and “C” Batteries.
  • 25th Jul. the 55th Division now moved south and took up a place in the front line opposite the village of Guillemont. It then remained in France and Flanders and took part in the following engagements:
  • The Battle of Guillemont (4-6 September)*
    The Battle of Ginchy (9 September)*
  • There was a short period of rest at Ribemont from 12 to 17 September
  • The Battle of Flers-Courcelette (17-22 September)*
  • The Battle of Morval (25-28 September)*
• * the battles marked * are phases of the Battles of the Somme 1916

1917

• 1st Mar. Admitted to 2^nd Australian Gen. Hospital Wimereux, RFA 276^th Bde. 55^th Div. S.A. Rheumatism Septic Leg .

  

Note: In early 1917 all men then serving with TF units were given new six-digit numbers, hence Walter has two numbers on his medal card. The first half of the year was spent in the salient, which had a comparatively quiet time if being surrounded by the enemy on three sides and under constant artillery fire could be described as quiet.

• The Battle of Pilkem Ridge (31 July – 2 August)**
  Between 30 July and 4 August, in the Division’s attack in the area of Spree, Pond and Schuler Farms, no fewer than 168 officers and 3384 men were killed, wounded or missing. The Division was withdrawn to Recques for re-fit and training on 7 August. It returned to pretty well the exact position it had left on 15 September, under orders for the next phase of the offensive.
• The Battle of Menin Road Ridge (20 – 23 September)**Casualties in this action were 127 officers and 2603 men, incurred in the heavy but successful fight for Gallipoli, Schuler Farm and the Hanebeek. Relieved by 39th Division, the 55th moved out of the line from 22/3 September and proceeded to a very different area, south of Cambrai. The position taken up was between Honnecourt wood and Lempire-Ronssoy.

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

• The tank attack^
  The German counter attacks^
  The Division faced the enemy counter-attack on 30 November 1917; its effect was later examined by a Court of Enquiry, the front line defence apparently crumbling and allowing the enemy to have a “rapid and almost bewildering” advance. The Divisional history remarks that “only two of our men passed through the straggler posts”; this may be so. But hundreds of troops had fallen into enemy captivity. “Not a man returned” from the 1/5th Bn, the South Lancashire. The Division’s reputation fell sharply in the eyes of the higher command. It was withdrawn from the area and sent to Bomy near Fruges for intensive training.
  ^ the battles marked ^ are phases of the Cambrai Operations

1918

Note: Walter was admitted to the hospital in mid-1918 so the record of service overseas likely ended before that.

• 16 June. Admitted or Discharged, Catterick Military Hospital. source Catterick Camp Command Depot: Invaliding Boards – men discharged, etc.

Note: War record for the Division in 1918

The Division relieved 42nd (East Lancashire) Division in the front line at Givenchy and Festubert on 15 February. Here, it faced numerous strong enemy raids in March. Early April was at first much quieter: it was a lull before a storm.

The Battle of Estaires (9-11 April) including the Defence of Givenchy (9-17 April)#
The Battle of Hazebrouck (12-15 April)#
# the battles marked # are phases of the Battles of the Lys

The capture of Givenchy craters (24 August)
The capture of Canteleux trench (17 September)

The Defence of Givenchy was to become the single most famous action that the Division fought. “It was afterwards publicly stated by an officer of the German General Staff that the stand made by the Division on April 9th and the days which followed marked the final ruination of the supreme German effort of 1918”, says the Divisional history. Givenchy was eventually selected as the location of a fine memorial to the Division (see below).

Sources

1. War Diary of 55^th Div RFA-Oct-Nov 1915.
2. War Diary of 1/ 2^nd West Lancs Brigade-Oct-Nov 1915.
3. The history of 55th (West Lancashire) Division (CHRIS BAKER Long Long Trail website )

Medals

Awarded the British and Victory medals.

After the War

Death 1937 age 47 years

Blackpool, Lancashire, Volume: 83, Page: 716.

Gallery

 

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

The RFA Territorials wore a Lapel badge and Shoulder flash that signified Territorial and Area they came from. In this case, Walter was West Lancs Brigade.