Blencowe Arthur Frank 1909

Arthur Frank Blencowe  [4764}

 

Killed in Action

1909-1942

Father Nm: Francis Drake Blencowe [3538]  born in 1880 in Camberwell, England. He died in 1958 in Wandsworth, England.

Mother Nm: Helena Amelia Alice Skeat [7867] born 17.7.1887 died Mar Q 1975 Kingston on Thames

Marriage Dt:

K comments: Father Francis Drake was wounded at Passchendaele in WW1.Half brother Sidney served with the Australian Forces and was killed in WW1.

Blencowe Francis 1846 tree

Spouse comments: (Research): Although no marriage record appears to have fathered two daughters

Oldest Known Ancestor:

Thomas Blencowe abt 1475 Marston St Lawrence

Children:

Birth

22 Aug 1909, Camberwell.

Before the War
1939 Census

Name: Arthur F Blencowe unmarried with mother Helena.
Gender: Male
Marital status: Single
Birth Date: 22 Aug 1909
Residence Year: 1939
Address: 94, Meens Drive.
Residence Place: Surbiton, Surrey, England
Occupation: Company Accountant

WW2

Royal Air Force

Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve

103 Squadron

Blencowe Arthur Frank,  Sergeant, 1258441, 103 Squadron, RAFVR

Synopsis

Arthur an accountant was to train to fly RAF Wellington bombers in the war, he flew at least 19 operations over France and Germany in 1941 and 1942.  Arthur’s role in the flight drew was bomb aimer. He tragically died on 26 April 1942 after having taken part in a raid on Rostock he and his crew were likely shot down on their return flight.

1940
  • Records show he enlisted at Uxbridge, Gloucester or Penarth, and joined after May
    Archive Reference: AIR 78 17 1
  • The next phase of training was usually in Britain at one of the many Operational Training Units (OTU). ….Instructors were usually experienced aircrew being “rested” after completing an operational tour and were tasked to lead the airmen for 5 or 6 weeks on night flying, navigation, bombing, cross country, all-weather and air gunnery/fighter affiliation practice operations in the types of aircraft they were likely to fly operationally. 7

    Wellington Bombers are part of an Operational Training Unit. Photo 1943 Royal Air Force official photographer, RAF Hixon
  • It’s probable that after the operational Training in 1940 Arthur was transferred to 103 Squadron part of Bomber Command.

Note 103 Sqd

In May 1940 103 Squadron was based at Betheniville later withdrawing across France until recalled to England. During the Battle of France 103 Squadron made short-range day and night-bombing attacks with Fairey Battle single engined bombers (including attacks on the Meuse bridges at Sedan)

On return 103 Squadron became part of 1 Group RAF Bomber Command and was based at RAF Newton in Nottinghamshire.

1941

103 Squadron moved to Elsham Woods in Lincolnshire.

Map location of the former airfield. From JF Knifton blog “Today, very little remains of RAF Elsham Wolds. A major road, the A15, has been built more or less right through the middle of it, and on top of the majority of one runway. There is a single hangar left, apparently a J-type. Look for the orange arrow, pointing to the hangar:”

 

 

  • In October 1941 Arthur was be part of a crew of a Wellington 1C no R1452 this was a Bomber used for night bombing photograph below of similar Wellingtons in the air.
  • 28/29 October, In what appears to be Arthur’s first op he flys with Flt Sergeant Telfer and crew a Wellington Bomber R 1452 raid on Cherbourg shipping and docks. Telfer is forced to land on return at Marham because of low cloud. Note The order of entry for crew suggests that Telfer – Pilot, Quested-Navigator, Hart-Wireless Operator, Arthur- Bomb Aimer. Tidmarsh – Flt Engineer and Musgrove Gunner

  • 30/31 October. Wellington Bomber R 1452 raid on Dunkirk (a year after the evacuation of that port ) Raid lead by Flt Sergeant Telfer and the same crew.

    Arthur was the crews Bomb Aimer. This photo A RAF Bomb Aimer in his position
  • 9/10 November. Wellington Bomber R 1452 raid on Hamburg lead by Flt Sergeant Telfer and same crew. Succesful drop.
  • 26/27 November. Wellington Bomber R 1452 raid on Emden lead by Flt Sergeant Telfer and same crew. Telfer bombed target of last resort having not found target.
  • 16/17 December. Wellington Bomber R 1452 raid on Wilhelmshaven lead by Flt Sergeant Telfer same crew
1942
  • 7 January.Wellington Bomber R1452lead by Flt Sergeant Telfer in raid to destroy the German Battle Cruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisnanu at the Brest Dockyards
    Scharnhorst, 1939. Photograph Courtesy of the US Naval History & Heritage Command

    Note : Although twice in January Frank was on a mission to destoy the battle cruiser Scharhorst it was not until 1943 that this ship was destroyed in battle.

  • 9 January.Wellington Bomber R1445 same crew lead by Flt Sergeant Telfer in raid to destroy the German Battle Cruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisnanu at the Brest Dockyards
  • 10 January. Wellington Bomber R 1445 raid on Wilhelmshaven lead by Flt Sergeant Telfer.
  • 11/12 February. Wellington Bomber raid on Le Havre.
  • 14-15 February. Wellington Bomber W5670 same crew lead by Flight Sergeant Bray the mission was to bomb Mannheim. It’s reported in the log that Flt Srgt Bray and crew was tasked with taking out Searchlight AA facilities and that at least one light was doused.
    Mannheim in ruins

     

  • 21-22 February. Same crew as 14 Feb. Wellington Z 8843 on night Mission to bomb Karlsruhe, Darmstadt, Mannheim, Frankfurt and Geissen Returned safely not mention in Ops log. Reported to have jettisoned 500lb bomb to gain height on take off.

    Crew 21/22 Feb 42
  • 09-Mar-42 – Essen – Wellington – DV611 – F/S CL Bray RCAF
  • 12-Mar-42 – Emden – Wellington – DV611 – F/S CL Bray RCAF
  • 25-Mar-42 – Essen – Wellington – DV611 – F/S CL Bray RCAF – Early return – Starboard exhaust pipe came adrift when exhaust ring broke.
  • 27-Mar-42 – St Nazaire – Wellington – DV611 – F/S CL Bray RCAF – Took off from Pershore
  • 10-Apr-42 – Essen – Wellington – DV596 – F/S CL Bray RCAF
  • 12-Apr-42 – Essen – Wellington – R1344 – F/S CL Bray RCAF – Hit by flak
  • 24-Apr-42 – Rostock – Wellington – T2921 – F/S CL Bray RCAF
  • 25 April. Killed in Action, Vickers Wellington Mk IC Aircraft Reg DV579 went missing after having made a bombing mission from RAF Elsham Wolds to Rostock.. The aircraft went down in the North Sea NW of Ameland – Netherlands
  • Note: It is possible Wellington was shot down  claim by Uffz Heinz Grimm 5./NJG2 – North Sea NW of Ameland at 03:37.Crew
    R/78203 Flt Sgt Charles Lorne Bray DFM RCAF – Runnymede Memorial Panel 102.

    Flt Sgt Charles Lorne Bray a Canadian airman from Oakville Ontario.

    1259439 Sgt Frank O’Kearney Eivers – Runnymede Memorial Panel 82.
    1280517 Sgt Sydney Harold Harle – Runnymede Memorial Panel 85.
    1258441 Sgt Arthur Frank Blencowe – Runnymede Memorial Panel 78.
    929396 Sgt Harry Bircham Bullen – Runnymede Memorial Panel 79.
    1161384 Sgt Dennis William Musgrove – Runnymede Memorial Panel 90.

Memorial
Arthur is remembered at the RAF Runnymede Memorial on panel 78

Arthur Frank is also remembered at International Bomber Command in Lincoln along with John Kenneth Blencoe a Wirelss Operator from Hull

From Jeannette Lagan (Blinko) Hi Roger. Hoping this message finds you both well. Just wanted to share this picture with you. We went to Lincoln a few weeks ago and visited Bomber Command Centre there. It’s a museum a friend of ours volunteers for. Anyway, we visited and came across a few familiar names linked with ours. Just thought it may interest you.
Medals

We have no medal records but he was entitled to these medals for his service

The Air Crew Europe Star was a campaign medal of the British Commonwealth, awarded for service in World War II. Specifically, the medal was awarded to Commonwealth aircrew who participated in operational flights over Europe, from UK bases.
1939-45 Star medal

 

The War medal

 

Sources
  1. RAF Casualty records
  2. Ancestry Military Tree of Blencowes ww2
  3. Bomber Command Losses 1942
  4. CWGC
  5. Nachtjagd War Diaries Volume 1.
  6. J F Knifton blog A trip around my Dad’s past: RAF Elsham Wolds
  7. Wikipedia – RAF Volunteer Reserve 
  8. Article about flights of Flt Sergeant Charles Bray DCM
Probate

Arthur’s assets were left to his mother.

Gallery
The Wellington was the plane that the 103 Squadron used in 1940-1942 when Arthur was part of its crew Detail Role Medium bomber
anti-submarine aircraft
Manufacturer Vickers-Armstrongs
First flight 15 June 1936
Introduction October 1938
Retired March 1953
Primary users Royal Air Force
Royal Australian Air Force
Royal Canadian Air Force
Fleet Air Arm
Produced 1936–1945
Number built 11,461[1] or 11,462[2]
Developed into Vickers Warwick
Vickers VC.1 Viking
The Wellington Bomber 1C
Description of the Vickers wellington 1c by David Fell whose web pages at https://www.northlincsweb.net/103Sqn/html/aircraft_of_103_sqn.html pay tribute to Arthur and his crew.
From BBC article RAF Elsham Wolds bomber base and crew remembered This is a Lancaster Bomber and Crew
From BBC article RAF Elsham Wolds a crew in colour
Elsham Woods from above in 1942- source John Knifton
A Nissen Hut at Elsham Woods in WW2- source John Knifton
This a Lancaster crew at Elsham woods , Nissen huts in the background
Vickers Wellington Mk IC the plane used in Arthur’s fatal last mission