Frank Blenkinsop
F Blenkinsop and N Fawcett
Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
Frank Blenkinsop was born at Whiton, County Durham in 1886, one of 8 children he was the 3rd born son of 4 and had 3 elder and 1 younger sister. His father Thomas Blenkinsop was born 1851 at Shildon and mother Christiana Thompson in 1853 at Elton Moor, both in County Durham, were married in 1876. Thomas farmed 165 acres, employing 2 labourers in the surrounding area of Whiten, Borough of Stockton, however by the time Frank was 5 years old he was employed as an iron worker.
Aged 15 years old in 1901 Frank was a border with the Fawcett family at 4, South Street, Whitton, employed by the Carlton Iron Works as a clerk, Thomas and Charlotte later officially adopted Frank. They had 6 children of their own, 4 sons and 2 daughters all younger than Frank. In 1911 their address is given as Carlton Iron Works, Thomas was employed by them as a secretary, Thomas Jnr (21) as a clerk, Norman (19) as an analytical chemist.
In 1911 Frank was no longer living with them. He was firstly employed as a member of staff at Messrs. W. B. Peat & Co. of Middlesbrough and later as a secretary of Messrs. Hanson, Brown & Co. Ltd. going on to become a Director of the company and lived at 15, Henry Street, Redcar, Yorkshire.
On the outbreak of war he enlisted, assigned as a Private to Kitchener’s New Army, later transferred to a Pals Battalion and offered a commission he rose to the rank of 2nd Lieutenant attached to the 15th Battalion Durham Light Infantry.
The 15th (Service) Battalion Durham Light Infantry landed at Boulogne, France, September 11th 1915, two weeks later still unprepared and inexperienced both the 14th and 15th Battalions were sent into battle to Loos, the first major British offensive on the Western Front. The 14th Battalion lost 300 men killed or wounded, the 15th Battalion over 450 men. After a winter in the trenches of Armentieres the 15th moved south in preparation for the opening Battles of the Somme.
July 1st the 15th Battalion, attached to the 64th Brigade, 21st Division attacked the German line north of Fricourt during the Battle of Albert and advanced to Shelter Wood taking 300 German prisoners for the loss of 450 men killed or wounded followed by the Battle of Bazentin Ridge July 14th-17th and after a short rest period returned to the Somme in September at Flers-Courcelette and Morval.
2nd Lieutenant Benkinsop was wounded during this period, once fully recovered returning to his unit on the Somme, February 1917 which as of April 9th-May 15th 1917 took part in the Arras Offensive. His next of kin were informed in early May 1917 that he was missing, after further investigation over several months he was struck off and officially declared as dead.
2nd Lieutenant Frank Blenkinsop Durham Light Infantry is deemed to have died on or since May 7th 1917. His sacrifice is recorded as one of 34,765 names inscribed on the Arras Memorial to the Missing, within Faubourg d’Amiens Cemetery, Arras, France, commemorating servicemen from New Zealand, South Africa and Britain who died in the sector 1916-August 7th 1918 and who have no known grave. He was 31 years old and single.
His adoptive father Thomas Farrow Fawcett received all monies due to him by the Army, his awards of the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal and after probate his effects in the sum of 1032 pounds 8 shillings 4 pence as per his will at London, March 16th 1918.
Frank’s "brother" Sergeant 741Norman Fawcett serving with the 18th Battalion Durham Light Infantry ironically was killed two days earlier May 3rd 1917, he too is commemorated on the Arras Memorial to the Missing.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
Frank Blenkinsopp is remembered at Stillington on S137.01 S137.02 and with Norman Fawcett on S137.04
He is also remembered in The DLI Book of Remembrance page 109
