James Blencowe [6791]
1907-1962
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| Father Nm: Thomas William Blincowe [4907]^ born 3.1.1857 Bicester died 1928 St Olave. | Mother Nm: Mary Hannah Green [3337] 1892 nr Greenwich |
Marriage Dt: 12 Jan 1935 St James The Great, Devonport, Devon,
K comments: Father Thomas William served in the Anglo- South African war with the 4th Battalion The West Yorkshire Reg (Price of Wales Own)
WW1: Brother Thomas William served with the 351st Brigade,(Howitzer) Royal Field Artillery .Brother Richard served with the East Surrey Regiment and Labour Corps,
WW2: Sister May Edith served with the WRAF . Sister Esther Maria a Laboratory Chemist in Manufacturing was killed on 21st September 1940 in a bombing raid on Llewellyn Street, Bermondsey
Spouse comments: Kathleen Mary Shepherd 17 SEP 1912 • Tavistock, Devon died AFT. 2003 • Plymouth, Devon
Children. Alan James Blencowe 1938, Leonard J 1942, Ronald A 1950
BORN 1904
7 OCT 1904 • St Olave Bermondsey
1911 CENSUS
11 Temeraire St Rotherhithe
Name Age
Thomas Blencowe 54
Mary Hannah Blencowe 47
Thomas Blencowe 17
Richard Blencowe 16
May Blencowe 14
Rose Blencowe 13
Florence Blencowe 8
James Blencowe 6
Esther Blencowe 4
William Green 6
Katherine Green 4
1921
- 18 October. Enlisted for a 12 year term with the Royal Artillery.
1930’s
It seems likely that James was based in Devonport Plymouth with the Royal Artillery units attached to the 3rd Infantry Division and part of the Army Southern Command. We should note that when he enlisted he was a clerk and so he may well have by the 1930’s been posted to the headquarters staff of the RA. In this case, he was likely with the Headquarters, 3rd Divisional Royal Artillery. Plymouth is where he probably met Kathleen and where they settled after the war. All three boys were born in Devon.
At sometime before 1939 James is transferred from the 3rd Division HQ’s? and sent to Lancashire and the Preston Barracks where he next appears.
1939 CENSUS
Age 35 living at 14 Dudley St Leyland, Lancashire with wife Kathleen, a Sergeant Royal Artillery. At age 35 James was a long term rStaff Sergeant and allowed to live out of barracks at this time.
Note: We do not have records for James in 1939 but he is living in Lancashire and hence we assume serving in barracks in nearby Preston. From a search of the 1939 census for Preston it seems that at the Preston Barracks at this time were the following R A units. However given previous speculation he may well be with HQ staff of the Royal Artillery in Preston.
56th (East Lancashire) Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery (TA)
88th (2nd West Lancashire) Field Regiment, Royal Artillery (TA) note Captured in 1941
11th (City of London Yeomanry) Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery (TA)
62nd (Loyals) Searchlight Regiment, Royal Artillery (TA) – from infantry, converted to 150 LAA Regiment May 1943[
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Blencowe James, Company Sergeant Major, 1421872, Royal Artillery
Synopsis
At this stage, we simply don’t know what Royal Artillery units James was a Sergeant and then Warrant Officer in the war. Given his age and seniority, he may have continued to be been HQ staff through the war and may have served in several RA units as they considerably rearranged after 1939. His medal awards do not include the France Germany Star in them indicating likely home country based until he served out his 12 years in 1945
1940-1945
- We lose track of James in the war and really can only say with some certainty that Kathleen was in Plymouth for the birth of her second son in 1942. Perhaps James had returned to Devonport also.
- 18 October. At the end of his 12 years of service, James is discharged and awarded the Long Service Medal.
MEDALS
These are the medals associated with James at the one record after attestation we have the Long Service Medal award via Forces War Records.
SOURCES
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- Ancestry and BFA database
- WW2Talk
- www.britishmilitaryhistory.co.uk
AFTER THE WAR
Lived in Plymouth with wife and three sons.
DEATH 1987
SEP 1987 • Plymouth, Devon
GALLERY