Blinko George Harry 1894

George Harry Blinko [4456]

1894-1969

Father Nm: Henry George Blinko [482] born 1869 c 29.5.1872 Long Crendon died in 1911 Thame: Oldest known ancestor – William Blincow d.1702 Bicester.

Mother Nm: Amelia Edwards [10393]1868-1955.

Marriage Dt:

1. 1922 to Elizabeth Ing, Wycombe Volume 3a Page 2180
2. 1954 to Violet Reeves (nee Holliman) Wycombe R.D.- Volume 6a Page 872

K comments: Brother Albert Stanley served with the Cheshire Regiment.

Brother Alec Mark served in WW2 with the RA and was captured at the fall of Singapore and later killed while a Japanese POW in 1943.

Son Theodore George Henry served in WW2 with the 21^st Parachute Division, Sons Keith and Reginald served with the Oxford and Bucks after WW2.

Spouse comments: Elizabeth Ing 1899-1928.

Children: Theodore George Henry 1923, Keith Robert E 1924, Reginald John 1927.

Born 27 January 1894 37 The Crescent, Bardon Hill, Leicestershire

Ashby de la Zouch Volume: 7a Page: 121. and 1939 census.

1901 Census Living with Mother Amelia at Windsor End, Beaconsfield.

1. Amelia Blinko 33 Chilton Bucks Wife “living On Own Means”
2. Harry G Blinko 7 Bardon, Leics Son
3. Albert S Blinko 1 Beaconsfield

1911 Census Primrose Alley, Burts Lane, Long Crendon, Thame Oxfordshire

1. Blinko Albert Son M 1900 Beaconsfield 11
2. Blinko Alec Son M 1904 Beaconsfield 7
3. Blinko Amelia Head F 1869 Long Crendon 42
4. Blinko Amelia Dau F 1909 Wycombe 2
5. Blinko Cris Son M 1906 Wycombe 5
6. Blinko Edith Dau F 1902 Beaconsfield 9
7. Blinko Harry Son M 1894 Ashby De La Zouch 17

1914

Harry was employed as a Chairmaker by B Goodearl Furniture Makers Desborough Rd High Wycombe.

	Oxford and Bucks LI	OBLI Pioneer Battalion

WW1

Blinko George Harry, 1894, Bardon Hill, Leics. Private, 16934, 8^th Bn.(Pioneers), Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry.

SYNOPSIS

The Pioneer battalion that Harry joined was primarily a labouring unit and as such didn’t take part in combat. While subject to shelling and other dangers of war by far the worst of these dangers (for this battalion) was Malaria. The Battalion lost 39 men in the war indicative of the low level of combat zone operation (most combat units in the hundreds of dead). Harry’s war was in two halves landing in France and then the Balkans 1915-1917, then from mid-1917 onwards he spent most of his time in hospital or convalescent depot fighting Malaria until discharged in 1919. In this regard, he had an identical war experience to Edwin Blinco also serving with the 8^th Bn.

1914

• 21^st Dec. Known as Harry he was conscripted at age 20 yrs and 11 months, Occupation Chairmaker. living at Totteridge nr. High Wycombe Bucks. Harry was enlisted at Oxford in the 8^th Bn. Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry, next of kin mother Amelia Blinko Oxlade.

  

  The 8^th Bn. was part of Kitchener’s New Army.

• 30^th Dec. Posted for training.

1915

• 17^th Apr. Harry was discharged home and remained there mostly until 17^th Sept. 1915. Training time was spent on Salisbury Plain, Wiltshire as this postcard was sent to his sister shows.
• 18^th Sept. Dispatched to France with the 8^th Bn. part of the 26^th Division. The division concentrated at Guignicourt.

Note: 8^th (Service) Battalion (Pioneers) Formed at Oxford, October 1914, as part of K3. October 1914, 25^th January 1915: became Pioneer Bn. to 26^th Division.

The 26^th Division was the last to be formed for the Third New Army (K3), it began to assemble in the Salisbury Plain area from September 1914. Khaki uniforms and equipment were not made available until February-April 1915, and in the meantime everything was improvised. The 26^th Division wore a blue bar, on the epaulette, which was the Divisional symbol.

Embarkation for France began in September 1915, and the concentration of units at Guignicourt (west of Amiens) was completed before the end of the month.

• 2^nd Nov. The Division concentrated at Flesselles and moved via Marseilles. There was a change of plans for the 26^th Division and in Nov. 1915 it was dispatched to join the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force (MEF).As the photograph shows the only piece of different uniform for serving in Mesopotamia was the pith helmet, the standard wool worsted uniform must have been very uncomfortable in the summer heat.
• 17^th Nov. Harry embarked to Salonika Greece via Marseilles and landed at Salonika between 17^th-24^th Nov.
• 26^th Dec. Units began to move from Lembet to Happy Valley Camp, and all units were in place there by 8^th February 1916. The Division took part in the following actions in Salonika:

  

1916The disposition of the 26^th Division in March 1916 from a map drawn by Malcolm Linfield. Copyright of West Sussex & the Great War Project.

• 10^th-18^th August 1916: The Battle of Horseshoe Hill.

• Sept. Harry became sick with Malaria and was some time at Salonika General Hospital.

1917

• 18-19^th Sept. The Battle of Doiran .

  

  It is very likely Harry missed this major battle as he is recorded in hospital in Malta two days later suffering from Malaria.

1918

• 22^nd Sept. Harry was admitted to St Andrews Hospital, Malta suffering from Malaria. His notes say he suffered his first attack 2 years prior in Sept. 1916.

  

• 16^th Dec. Harry in Malta from Sept. – 16^th Dec. Subsequently he was invalided to England.
• 31^st Nov? Returned Home to England 31^st Nov 1918 but wasn’t well. Admitted to Paisley War Hospital with Malaria 31^st Dec 1918.
• Late 1918. The General Election of Great Britain in December 1918 caused households to record absent voters ie Military personnel . Below brothers Harry and Bert are recorded absent in late 1918 sometime before December.

1919

• 16^th Jan. Transferred to Edinburgh Bangour Military Hospital suffering from Malaria.
• 

Note: The 26^th Division suffered casualties of 8,022 killed, wounded and missing during the war but vastly larger numbers sick with malaria, dysentery and other diseases rife in the Salonika theatre. Harry was one of 162,517 soldiers who contracted Malaria.

Medals

Awarded the 1914-15 Star the British and Victory medals.

After the War

1919 Re-employed as Chairmaker (employed by B Goodearl before the war).

After the war, Harry at some point joined Ercol Furniture which began business in 1920 (High Wycombe).

This factory was started in 1920 by Lucian Ercolani and produced the finest beech furniture in the old tradition of the area. Harry appears to have worked at Ercol until retirement-aged 65.

1922 Married Lizzie Ing at Totteridge.

Living at 4 Eastern Terrace High Wycombe (near to Ercol Furniture Factory) occupation Chairmaker. Soon after in 1923 living at Tower St. Terriers, Nr High Wycombe Three sons were born in 1923, 1924 and 1927 all at Terriers

1930 Widower

The death of his wife Lizzie (Ing) left Harry with three sons aged 3, 6 and 7 to raise on his own. Lizzie died after having a third child and this left Harry alone for many years. At this time they were living in council provided house at Tower St Terriers High Wycombe, sometime after this Harry and his children were moved to another council house at 42 Chadwick St, Terriers.

1939 Census 42 Chadwick Street, High Wycombe M.B., Buckinghamshire, England

George H Blinko 27 Jan 1894 Male Chair Maker Widowed
Ada A E (Annie) Edwards (Matthews) 15 Jan 1914 Female Housekeeper Single

Not disclosed in Census form

Theodore George Henry 1923-1960, Keith Robert E Blinko 1924 and Reginald John Blinko 1927.

1954 Remarried

Harry was to find a second partner later in life Violet Reeves (nee Holliman) with whom he lived happy and contented in Loudwater Bucks until his death.

Death 3^rd Dec 1969 73 years

GR[D] Wycombe vol 6a p 1392 Dec 1969.

Gallery

 

There are 20 records in the National Archives for this man. For copyright reasons, they cannot be re-published.