Handel Blencowe [10825]

1911-1988

Father Nm: George Herbert Blencowe 1885–1949. BIRTH 7 AUG 1885 • Nuneaton
DEATH 17 NOV 1949 • Warwickshire, Warwick, England

Mother Nm: Mary Elizabeth Moore 1882–1931. BIRTH ABT 1882 • Hinckley, Leicestershire, England. DEATH OCT 1931 • Nuneaton, Warwickshire, England

Marriage Dt: Jan 1939 • Nuneaton, Warwickshire, United Kingdom

K comments::

Father George Herbert served in India (Alfred’s testimony) army records confirm. Uncles  who were drafted or served in WW1:

1. Harry served with the Oxford and Bucks LI.
2. Richard  served with the New Zealand Rifles
3. Alfred Edward emigrated to USA in 1913 and served with U.S. Army 101st Engineers Division in France.
4. Albert   who also emigrated to the USA claimed exemption as a conscientious objector

In WW2 Brother  Clive served with RAF, and Cousin John served with the Royal Navy.

Spouse comments: Mary A Capper 1918–1993. BIRTH JUL 1918 • Merthyr Tydfil, Glamorganshire. DEATH NOV 1993 • North Warwickshire, Warwickshire, England

(Research): Ancestry

Oldest Known Ancestor: John Blencowe C1828 died Leamington Priors?

Children: David H Blencowe 1939, Andrew R Blencowe 1942, Susanne E M Blencowe 1945, Ruth E Blencowe 1957.

Birth

30 June 1911, Nuneaton.

Before the War

1929

 

1939 Census

Residence Place: Nuneaton, Warwickshire, England
Occupation: Bus Conductor

Handel Blencowe
Mary A Blencowe

WW2

Blencowe Handel, Private,  7045735, 2/5th Royal Leicestershire Regiment, East Surrey Regiment and 2/5th Bn. Queen’s Royal Regiment,

1940

• 16 July. Enlisted into Leicestershire Regiment most likely as a territorial soldier. ie volunteer. Note: the occupation of bus driver had been protected from conscription.
• Leicestershire Regiment. It’s thought because Handel was a Territorial soldier and was in North Africa when transferred to the East Surrey Regiment and 2/5ths Royal Queens that he was with the 2/5th Battalion Royal Leicester Regiment.
• Note: By the time Handel had joined the 2/5 Leics. The battalion was in France or in the process of evacuating from Dunkirk.
• Handel and the evacuated 2/5th Bn. spent the next 2½ years in England.they were part of 139 Brigade of the 46th Division.. in December of 1942 the 139th Bde were the first brigade of the 46th to go to North Africa.
• 24 December. The 139th Bde landed in Tunisia.” 4,000 men of the 139th Infantry Brigade and supporting forces[i] departed from Liverpool. The convoy arrived in Algiers, French Algeria, on 3 January 1943, followed by a 500-mile (800 km) road and rail journey to the frontline near Sedjenane, French Tunisia.” Wikipedia

  

1943

• 18-24 February. The Battle of Kasserine Pass. An Axis offensive was expanded with the Battle of Kasserine Pass. In response, the 2/5th Bn., along with anti-tank guns and artillery pieces from the 139th Brigade, were moved 150 miles (240 km) south to Thalato bolster Allied positions. Once there, they covered the withdrawal of American and British forces, repulsed a German tank attack late on 20 February after heavy fighting that saw German units penetrate their position and aided in the subsequent defence of the town. The fighting cost these units over 400 casualties.

  

• 7 August. Transferred to East Surrey Regiment albeit for a matter of days.

• 16 September. Transferred to 2/5th Queens Royal Regiment.  The 2/5th Queens Royal (West Surrey) Regiment was part of the  169th (London) Infantry Brigade which was part of the 56th (London) Infantry Division.
• Handel had joined the 2/5th Regiment after it had taken part in the landings at Salerno under the command of the British X Corps. presumably he was transferred as a reinforcement for the casualties there. “The 2/5th Battalion had suffered so many casualties that it was reduced to two companies.”³

1944

• 22 January.The Allied Landing at Anzio-Nettuno.

• 22 January. The landings went well with few casualties and the capture of POW’s. “By midnight, 36,000 soldiers and 3,200 vehicles had landed on the beaches. Thirteen Allied troops were killed, and 97 wounded; about 200 Germans had been taken as POWs.[17] The 1st Division penetrated 2 miles (3 km) inland, the Rangers captured Anzio’s port, the 509th PIB captured Nettuno, and the 3rd Division penetrated 3 miles (5 km) inland.“⁴
• However, after three days the Allied force was surrounded. “Three days after the landings, the beachhead was surrounded by a defence line consisting of three divisions: The 4th Parachute Division to the west, the 3rd Panzer Grenadier Division to the centre in front of Alban Hills, the Hermann Göring Panzer Division to the east.“⁴
• Further troop movements including the arrival of U.S. 45th Infantry Division and U.S. 1st Armored Division, brought Allied forces total on the beachhead to 69,000 men, 508 guns and 208 tanks by January 29, whilst the total defending Germans had risen to 71,500.“⁴
• 30 January. Wounded. Handel is wounded as the Allied force attacks the defenders.

  

   

• February. Handel would have been evacuated and depending on extent of wounds may have been shipped back to the UK for treatment. We do know he was discharged in 1944 underling the seriousness of his debility after the battle.

Medals

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

 

After the War

1949

• 16 March. Discharged from the Surreys TA unit but re-enlisted with the Royal Warwicks Regiment.

  

Death  1988

• Died in his home town of Nuneaton

Sources

1. Army Records- Casualties
2. Forces War Records
3. WW2 Talk Forum
4. Anzio landing -Wikipedia
5. Ancestry Military Tree of Blencowes ww2
6. Royal Leicestershire Regiment website

Gallery