Keating James Blencowe 1899

JAMES BLENCOWE KEATING

KIA 27 Sept. 1918

Father Nm: James Mattison Keating 1876 Middlesborough died 1962 New Addington Surrey . An Engraver

Mother Nm: Ida Eleanor Blencowe [3374] born 1877 Stockton died in 1957

Marriage Dt:

K comments:

Spouse Comments: Elizabeth Annie Stilwell 1882-1940

Children:

(Research):GR[B] Birmingham March 1876 1891 Census, [Wilson] 1881 Census GR[D] Wednesbury vol 9b p 564 Sept 1948

BIRTH 1900

Registration district: Birmingham, Warwickshire Volume: 6d Page: 216

1901 CENSUS ALBERT RD MIDDLESBOROUGH

1. James M Keating Head Married Male 26 1875 General Engraver Thirsk, Yorkshire,
2. Ida E Keating Wife Married Female 24 1877 – Port Clarence, Durham,
3. Esther Keating Daughter – Female 5 1896 – Port Clarence, Durham
4. Gwendoline Keating Daughter – Female 3 1898 – Middlesbrough, Yorkshire
5. James B Keating Son – Male 1 1900 – Middlesbrough, Yorkshire

1911 CENSUS 139 ALBERT ROAD MIDDLESBROUGH

1. James Mattison Keating Head Married Male General Engraver 36 1875
2. Ida Eleanor Keating Wife Married Female – 34 1877
3. Esther Keating Daughter Single Female – 16 1895
4. Gwendoline Keating Daughter – Female School 13 1898
5. James Bleancowe Keating Son – Male School 11 1900
6. Kathleen Keating Daughter – Female – 5 1906
7. Thomas Felix Blencowe Brother In Law Widower Male Master Of Dredger 45 1866

James Blencowe Keating 1900, Middlesbrough, Private,4344,92304, 1/4th Yorks Regt, 1st Gun Carrier Company, Tank Corps

1917

James was just 18 when he enlisted in the army. The units that he joined was a territorial force the 1/4th York’s regiment however, he was to be transferred to the Tank Corps and posted to the 1st Gun Carrier Company. Given that James was 18 in April 1917, its very likely he joined up then and would have been trained in England to be part of a Gun Carrier crew to drive and fire the Gun Carrier vehicle before being sent to the front.

Gun Carrier Company

The gun carrier company consisted of a fleet of gun carriers, armed with 6-inch howitzer guns.

The gun carrier was a unique World War I vehicle it was intended originally to provide Mobile gun capability. The vehicle consisted of a platform at the front where guns could be winched onto the platform and deployed. The gun carrier had an armoured enclosure at the back so that the vehicle could be driven and fired within an armoured protective cover. These vehicles proved to be very slow about 3.5 miles an hour and cumbersome in battle, so after their introduction, they were converted mainly to transportation use in combat situations. They have a platform at the front that could carry very heavy loads so therefore useful and carrying supplies or salvage operations.

 

1918

• January-27 April.  The 1st Gun Carrier Company was based at le Treport in France and training for action later in the war, James may well have been at this base in this time.

  

  Series of photos of carriers from the website Gun Carrier MK1 .

  

  Gun_Carrier_Mk-I.php

• May. The company moved to Humoeville west of Arras.
• 25 May. The Company moved to Querrieu Woods , Blagny Tronville east of Amiens to work with the 8th Tank Battalion.

• June-July . Querrieu Woods HQ and Gun Carriers allocated to various Army units for supply work .
• August. Work carried out as per list below . On the August  11 tanks were moved to Buquoy 36 kms north east of Amiens to new HQ base
• 12 September. The Company Gun Carriers are all moved to Havrincourt close to Bourlon, Canal Nord the next major offensives.

Note: The Gun Carrier No 146 known as Jarrow (that James was a crew member of when he was killed) started service in August and this listing indicates activity that he was most likely involved in. As can be seen, the No 146 was in fact used exclusively to carry supplies in combat areas.

• 04-Aug 18 – Orders: To carry 6″ mortars for 15th Australian Brigade. W215 Aus
• 08-Aug-18 – 1 GC Coy, 2 sec – Carried Supplies for 5th Tank Brigade W25
• 21-Aug-18 – 1 GC Coy, 2 sec – Carried Supplies for 8th Infantry Brig W22
• 01-Sep-18 – 1 GC Coy, 3 sec – Carried load WG1
• 27-Sep-18 – 1 GC Coy – carried load, hit by shrapnel, 1 OR KIA WG1
• The detail of James death is recorded in the 1st Gun Carrier Coy history

From the war history of the first gun carrier company the following “in readiness for this action, the tanks came up under cover of darkness, along the northern boundry of that Havrincourt road to the slag heap known as “Yorkshire Bank” this brought them to the enemy side of the Canal in a position favourable for the advance.

On the morning of the attack attacks move forward along their respective groups and with one exception reach their objectives this exception was tank number 146 was hit by a high explosive shell. The radiator was pierced putting the tank out of action and one of the crew Private JB Keating killed.”

More detail on the location of the death of James Blencowe Holton from the Great War Forum website.

This modern day photo had a remark in the forum discussion that was able to identify the Yorkshire Bank as it is today.

Burial

James buried at Flesquieres Hill British Cemetery in France.

Three men lost their lives while serving with the 1st Gun Carrier Company on the 27th September 1918

002	KEATING	JB	92304	1ST GUN CARRIER COY	27/09/1918	TANK CORPS
003	MCLACHLAN	J	111866	1ST GUN CARRIER COY	27/09/1918	TANK CORPS
004	VERNON	JT	205285	1ST GUN CARRIER COY	27/09/1918	TANK CORPS

Memorial

James is remebered at the Middlesborugh War Memorial

He is also remembered at this web site.l http://www.ww1-yorkshires.org.uk/html-files/middlesbrough/middlesbrough-yorks-dead-k.htm

Keating, James B – Page 1