Blinker Frank 1894

Frank Blinker [6716]
1894-1984

Father Nm: James Blinker 1846: oldest known Ancestor – Henry Blinko d.1685 Swaffam Bulbeck.

Mother Nm: Sophia Chennell [6717] born 1854.

Marriage Dt:

K comments: Brother Joseph served in the Merchant Navy in WW1

Spouse Comments:

Children:

(Research): Cobb

1901 Census Pixey Green, Stradbroke, Suffolk
  1. Blinker James Head Farmer M 1846 Moulton 55
  2. Blinker Sophia Wife F 1855 Brandon 46
  3. Blinker Frank Son M 1895 Moulton 6
  4. Blinker James Son M 1880 Moulton 21
  5. Blinker Jane Dau F 1887 Moulton 14
  6. Blinker Joseph Son M 1890 Moulton 11
  7. Blinker Lily Dau F 1893 Moulton 8
  8. Blinker Mary Ann Mother F 1838 Ashley 63
  9. Blinker Samuel Son Farmers Son M 1876 Moulton 25
1911 Census Gas Works, Newland Lane, Nayland, Colchester, Hartismere Suffolk
  1. Blinker Frank Son Farmers Son M 1894 Moulton 17
  2. Blinker James Head Farmer M 1846 Moulton 65
  3. Blinker James Son Farmers Son M 1880 31
  4. Blinker Sophia Wife F 1855 56

 

MGC
Machine Gun Corps
WW1

Blinker Frank, 1895, Moulton, Suffolk, Private, 145790, Machine Gun Corps.

1916
  • Enlisted likely in Feb 1916 based on No.145811 joining on 16 Feb 1916

    Men of the Machine Gun Corps at drill
    Men of the Machine Gun Corps at drill at Belton Camp, Lincolnshire where Frank may have trained.

Not much is known about Frank’s service, the medal roll confirms just one Regiment ie MGC served and that’s about all. Listed as a Private not a Gunner on the Medal card he may have been support for the MGC gunners. The Machine Gun Companies were re-organised into the Machine Gun Corps in October 1915. The Corps units having soldier regimental numbers it seems in no order by Battalion, hence it’s not possible from his number 145790 to determine which Battalion he was allocated to. Frank did serve overseas as indicated by the medal award.

Medals

BritishWarMedal-VictoryMedal
British and Victory medals awarded.

After the War
1939 census

A cowman general farm work unmarried living with mother

Death 1984 age 89 years

Gipping and Hartismere, Suffolk, Volume: 10, Page: 2719.

Gallery

 

There are 2 records in the National Archives for this man. For copyright reasons, they cannot be re-published.

Machine Gun Corp Cap Badge
The Machine Gun Company Cap Badge and Arm badge
image
Belton Park near Grantham the training camp for the Machine Gun Corps. Possibly Richard attended training here with the 65th Coy MGC a company formed at Grantham.
5thYorksMachineGunTeam6Men
Men of the 5th Yorks Machine Gun Company. Not likely Franks’s Corps but indicative of the training that was carried out before embarkation.This photo taken in training in Yorkshire
Machine Gun Corps men photo from bailleul studio
Unknown group of MGC men taken at Bailleul
Source http://www.pbase.com/
720px-British_Machine_Gun_LOC_ggbain_24930
The Machine Gun Corps was relatively short lived as a Corps being disbanded in 1922, but in WW1 it was a new weapon and the British used the Vickers and Lewis machine guns. ————The Vickers Gun, closely modeled on the Maxim Gun, comprised the British Army’s standard heavy machine gun at the start of the First World War, following its formal adoption in 1912.
A Machine Gun Corps post in a barn near Haverskerque during the German Offensive on the Lys, 9-29 April 1918. IWM photograph Q6571, with permission.
Machine Gun Corp in action in France
frank blinker medals.png
Despite being the only Blinker in the entire Army Frank ‘s name is recorded on the Medal Card correctly. This certificate from the National Archives
Brother Joseph in Merchant navy uniform