Blinko Alfred 1898

Alfred Blinko [2201]

1898-1988

Father Nm: Albert Blincoe [4596] 1859 c 24.7.1859 Birmingham -1931:Oldest known ancestor – William Blencowe 1729 Mixbury.

Mother Nm: Elizabeth Hannah Anderton [10812] born 1863 Kings Norton.

Marriage Dt: 1928.

K comments: Brothers George Frederick Blinko served with the Gloucestershire Regiment, William Henry Blincoe DCM served the Royal Warwick Regt. Brother George Frederick Blinko served with the Gloucester Regt.

Spouse comments: Lilian Jones.

Children:Alfred Jones 1929, Jeanette E. 1935.

Birth Dec 1898 Kings Norton

Blincoe Alfred King’s N. Vol 6c Page 432.

1901 CENSUS KINGS NORTON, WORCS

1. Albert Blincoe abt 1852 Birmingham Head
2. Elizabeth Blincoe abt 1863 Birmingham Wife
3. Albert Blincoe abt 1881 Birmingham Son
4. Alfred Blincoe abt 1899 Birmingham Son
5. Edith Blincoe abt 1887 Birmingham Dau
6. Elsie Blincoe abt 1894 Birmingham Dau
7. Ethel J Blincoe abt 1901 Birmingham Dau
8. Fred Blincoe abt 1895 Birmingham Son
9. Gertrude Blincoe abt 1896 Birmingham Dau
10. Herbert Blincoe abt 1889 Birmingham Son
11. Louisa Blincoe abt 1891 Birmingham Dau
12. Nellie Blincoe abt 1888 Birmingham Dau
13. William Henry abt 1892 Birmingham Son

1911 CENSUS 26 FLORENCE RD, KINGS HEATH, BIRMINGHAM KINGS NORTON

1. Blinko Albert Head Brass Wire Drawer M 1861 Small Heath 50 Worcestershire
2. Blinko Alfred Son M 1899 Kings Heath 12
3. Blinko Edith Dau Vuer Brass Factory F 1887 Kings Heath 24 Worcestershire
4. Blinko Gerty Dau F 1898 Kings Heath 13
5. Blinko Elizabeth Wife F 1862 Kings Heath 49
6. Blinko Elsie Dau Brass Worker F 1895 Kings Heath 16
7. Blinko Ethel Dau F 1901 Kings Heath 10
8. Blinko Frederick Son Butchers Servant M 1896 Kings Heath 15 Worcestershire
9. Blinko Gladys Dau F 1902 Kings Heath 9
10. Blinko Herbert Son Brass Wire Drawer M 1889 Kings Heath 22 Worcestershire
11. Blinko Louie Dau Domestic Servant F 1891 Kings Heath 20 Worcestershire
12. Blinko Nellie Dau Boxer Cadburys Bars F 1887 Kings Heath 24 Worcestershire
13. Blinko William Son Labour Brass Wire M 1893 Kings Heath 18 Worcestershire

South Lancs Regiment

WW1

Blinko Alfred, 1898, Kings Norton, Private, 54034, South Lancashire Regiment

Synopsis

The youngest of four brothers to serve on the Western Front all four entered later in the war, William in 1916 but Herbert, Alfred and Fred arrived there in mid 1917. While William was decorated with the DCM and discharged early in 1917 (wounded or sick). The other brothers were blessed with some luck and seem to have survived without serious injury. The Medal Roll indicates Alfred was with the 1/5^th South Lancashire Battalion .

The 1/5^th South Lancashire Battalion was formed in August 1914 in Warrington. Part of South Lancashire Brigade in West Lancashire Division. 13 February 1915: left the Brigade and landed at Le Havre. Attached on arrival to 12^th Brigade in 4^th Division. 4 November 1915: Brigade was attached to 36^th (Ulster) Division. 6 January 1916: transferred to 166^th Brigade in 55^th (West Lancashire) Division.

1917

• Jan. It was about this time that Alfred joined the battalion as a Territorial volunteer we can see that from fallen comrades rough date of joining was late 1916 or early 1917.
  • Rfn 54063 Henry Arthur Packer Dunn KIA Sept 1918 joined 30^th Dec 1916
  • Rfn 54065 Reginald Arthur Evans KIA Sept 1918 joined 5^th Mar 1917
• We can estimate from the date he joined, that Alfred joined the 1/5^th on the western front in mid-1917.
• 31^st Jul – 2^nd Aug. The Battle of Pilckem Ridge St Julien.

  

  Between 30^th July and 4^th August, the 55^th 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.

  • 3:50 a.m. The Bn. attack launched on the right of the 166^th Brigade front with the Liverpool Scottish on its left. Objective, the Black Line. When the men formed up in artillery formation, outside it was very dark and difficult to get the proper direction. This was made much more difficult by the fact that the Bn. on the right advanced half right across our front. There was very little hostile shell fire to interfere with the advances. Crossed the Blue Line and machine gun fire became more severe. the enemy had marked spots on which to concentrate such as crossing the Steenbeek and gaps in hedges which were everywhere well wired.
  • The advance was made from shell hole to shell hole by section rushes. Support fire was given by Rifles and Lewis Guns until within about 200 yards of the objective when machine gun fire from Spree Farm and Capricorn Trench to North of Spree Farm held our men up. We had the help of two tanks, one of which crushed down the wire in front of Capricorn and then dealt with the trench itself and the other went past Spree Farm and up to Pond Farm, silenced the M.G. and enabled the men to take the trench on both
  • Casualties – 1 Officer killed, 1 missing presumed death, 5 wounded At midnight our casualties were 1 Officer 11 OR missing.

    

The 55^th Div. 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.

• 20^th – 23^rd Sept. The Battle of Menin Road Ridge. The 55^th Div casualties in this action were 127 officers and 2603 men, incurred in the heavy but successful fight for Gallipoli, Schuler Farm and the Hanebeek.
  • 20^th. The attack launched by II and VI Armies, received instructions to reinforce the 1/9^th Kings Liverpool Regt. by 2 companies. Orders were issued and B & C Companies moved up.
  • 1:30 p.m. Remaining Companies moved to shell holes around Pommern Castle together with Bn. HQ
  • 4:00 p.m. Hill 37 And Gallipoli Copse captured by B & C Companies and were reinforced by A & D. Casualties from 19th up to relief 2 Officers, 19 OR killed, 5 died of wounds. 23 wounded, 11 missing.

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

Relieved by the 39^th Division, the 55^th moved out of the line on 23^rd September and proceeded to a very different area, south of Cambrai. The position taken up was between Honnecourt Wood and Lempire-Ronssoy.

They moved south to Cambrai where they suffered very heavily during the on the 30^th of November 1917.

• 30^th of Nov. German Counter Attacks. The enemy attacked about 7:20 a.m. in great numbers and broke through North of Villers-Guislain. At once, large numbers worked down southwards and attacked the Battalion in the rear. Not an officer or man of the Battalion came back and long after the enemy had advanced on our front were saw the fighting around Battalion Headquarters.
• 1^st Dec. Reinforcing Platoon from transport lines attacked Meath Post and Alimerick Post but was unable to gain ground owing to heavy enemy barrage and machine gun fire. The attacking force withdrew to its original position which was held until relieved by the 21^st Division during the night of 1^st/2^nd December.
• The approximate strength of the Battalion in the line was 21 Officers and 540 Other Ranks. Summary:1/5^th South Lancashires found themselves outflanked and surrounded by overwhelming numbers. After a fierce fight, the battalion was wiped out. In obedience to the order to ‘Stand or fall at your posts’ not a man returned. On their right 1/5^th Loyal North Lancashires made a gallant stand but at terrible cost, 434 casualties, while 1/4^th Loyal North Lancashires, who were in reserve, saved the situation with a magnificent immediate counter-attack.

Note: The Division faced the enemy counterattack on 30 November 1917; its effect was later examined by a Court of Enquiry, the front line defence 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.²

Note: There is no POW record for Alfred so we can assume he was one of these three options; A wounded casualty, in Reserve, or on leave at the time of this attack.

1918

In the Spring of 1918, they were in action in the Battle of the Lys including the Defence of Givenchy on the 9^th to the 17^th of April.

• 9^th April. At 4:15 a.m. a very heavy bombardment and at 5:30 a.m. the order Bustle arrived. A & C Coys under moved to an assembly position N.W. of Gorre and the remainder of the Bn. took up positions on the Le Preol N. locality. Both parties had casualties when moving to the new positions and shell fire all day. A & C Coys came under the command of 165 Bde and B & D Coys under the command of 164 Bde. A & C Coys moved up practically to Loisne Cental which was occupied by 1 1⁄2 Coys of the 1/10 KLR. C Coy reinforced them and A Coy dug in at the rear in support. HQ for these Coys were at Loisne Chateau. At 5:30 a.m. B Coy was ordered to reinforce 1/4^th L.N.L. (the Left Bn.), and D Coy reinforced 4 K.O.R.L with 2 platoons in Death Or Glory Sap & Cheyne Walk. The other t2 platoons reinforced 1/4 L.N.L.

In October the Div took part in the Final Advance in Artois. After the Armistice, they were ordered to advance through Belgium and occupy the Rhine bridgeheads, but these orders were withdrawn and the Division was demobilised in Brussels between January and April 1919.

1919

• April 1919 Alfred was listed at this time on the Birmingham absent voters list hence we can assume discharged after April 1919.

Sources

1. The 1/5^th South Lancashire war diary.
2. The Long, Long Trail The British Army in the Great War, 1914-1918.

Medals

Awarded British and Victory medals.

After the War

Electoral roll records

Alfred & Lilian Blinko.

1930. 222 Sherbourne St with Albert Edward & Hilda Bruce.

1935 & 1939. No 1 back No 7 Longbridge Rd.

1939 Census

1 B/K 7 Longbridge Road , Birmingham C.B., Warwickshire, England

Alfred Blinko, 31 Sep 1898 Male Compositor Moulder Married
Lilian Blinko, 02 Feb 1898 Female Daily Cleaner Married

Note two others present on census form.

Electoral roll records

1950 with Flora Jones at 98 Institute Rd

1955 with Flora Jones and Alfred junior

Death 1968 age 69 years

Birmingham, Warwickshire, Volume: 9c, Page: 327.

Gallery

 

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