Under Construction

Edward Kingsley Blinko

1910-1991

Father Nm: John Blinko 1868–1957. BIRTH JANUARY 1868 • Ramsgate, Kent, England
DEATH 14 FEB 1957 • Ramsgate, Kent, England.

Mother Nm: Edith Clarisse Hughes. 1869–1961.BIRTH OCTOBER 1869 • Hackney, London, England. DEATH 9 JAN 1961 • Ramsgate, Kent, England.

Marriage Dt:

1. Jul 1940 • Croydon, Surrey,  to Ivy Gwendoline Wood
2. Jan 1952 • Thanet, Kent, to Elsie Ruth F Hammond

K comments:

Spouse comments:

1. Ivy Gwendoline Wood 1907-1950
2. Elsie Ruth F Hammond(1915–2006)

(Research): Ancestry

Oldest Known Ancestor:

Children:

Birth

24 JUL 1910 • Christchurch, Ramsgate, Kent

Before the War

1911 Census

Name Age
John Blinks 43
Edith Clarisse Blinks 41
John Howard Blinks 9
Edward Kingsley Blinks 8/12
Ellen Rose Warden 19

1933-1935 Emigrated to south Africa

• 8 September 1933. A trip to Cape Town in South Africa for a period of 2 years which seemingly indicates his intent to settle there. He states he is a Secretary on leaving for SA but on his return, two years later is a permanent resident of SA and a bookseller. Was this an emigration or an attempt by the Blinko family to extend their business to SA.
• 15 October 1935. Returns to Ramsgate.

1939 Census

Elgin Road Croydon

Edward Kingsley Blinks 29 Bookseller

Note: There was a Blinko’s Bookshop on Queenstreet, Ramsgate from well before 1934 as this advertisement of 1934 shows. This was a longterm family business as grandfather John Blinko abt 1834 was a first a scripture reader (1861 census ) then bookseller (1871 census) in Ramsgate, father John was listed as a Bookseller when he was married in 1895 in Hackney London.

1940

Edward marries Ivy Gwendoline Wood 1907-1950 a bookseller of Croydon

WW2

Blinko E. (Edward Kingsley) Flight Sergeant 10th Squadron RAF

1943

Note: We have two records for Edward in the war but it does tell us a lot about what he did and where he was. In October 1944 a dramatic ditch into the sea and subsequent rescue by boat are well documented and we know at this time he was part of a Bomber flight crew of 10 Squadron. From this, we can deduce that sometime in 1940-41 he probably joined the RAF Voluntary Reserve and under extensive training with the RAF.

• Recruited and sent for Basic Training.

  

• After Basic Training, Edward would have been sent to attend Elementary Flight Training which because of a dire shortage of facilities and instructors may well have been overseas. The United Kingdom turned to the British Empire and its allies for help. Air training agreements were made with countries including the United States, Canada and India. These international arrangements were vital in training the vast numbers of men being recruited into the RAF at this time. From 1941 the majority of flying training took place overseas. By 1945 110,600 pilots Attendees of the Air Training Conference, Ottawa, Canada 1939 had been trained on behalf of the RAF in nine different countries.

  

1944

• When he qualified for active duty we can only speculate that this would have been probably 12months or more after joining up. We also do not know what Edwards role was ie Navigator, Gunner etc. We do know he wasn’t a Flight Commander/Pilot when he suffered his 1944 crash.

It’s highly likely that Edward joined the 10 Squadron when it was at RAF Melbourne a station located 5 miles to the south-west of Pocklington, Yorkshire, England.

• We do not know what role Edward played onboard the Halifax bomber, we can rule out Pilot as this role and name mentioned in-flight records. these are the other roles aboard; Flt Engineer, Navigator, Bomb Aimer, Gunner, Mid Upper Gunner and Tail Gunner.
• It would seem from an incident in October that Edward was taking part in Bombing missions to Germany, it could be the October flight was his first and maybe with an inexperienced Pilot. Pilot Beakley (see below) does not appear in previous mission records

• 28 October. Edward is involved in a crash into the sea on this mission. Halifax MZ576 10 sqn off Immingham Coded ZA-T. Airborne 1309 28 Oct 44 from Melbourne for Cologne. Outbound, the port outer engine failed and the bomb-load was jettisoned. However, the Halifax continued to lose height and a ditching was carried out at 1437 off Immingham on the Lincolnshire coast. Some five hours later the crew were picked up by HMS Middleton and taken to Portsmouth. F/O C.Bleakley Sgt H.McHugh Sgt P.Shelley F/O W.Hiscott Sgt E.Blinko Sgt A.Bennett Sgt S.Canning.
• Its likely Edward sustained injuries in the crash and was sent for medical treatment in Hospital and for him the combat was likely over.

1945

• Probably Discharged in 1945.

After the War

1950

• Edward is widowed wife died 18 Nov1950 • Woolwich

1952

• Edward Re-marries.

1991 Death

1 MAR 1991 Ramsgate, Kent.

 

Medals

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

 

Sources

1. Forces War Records. War Office records
2. Official History of 10 Squadron
3. Ancestry Military Tree of Blencowes ww2

Gallery