Blinco, Francis Henry

3016 Corporal Francis Henry Blinco - 11th Battalion AIF
 
Francis Henry Blinco was born in Fremantle WA in 1897 to Francis and Rhoda Blinco. He was one of five children born into the family with, Phyllis (1894), Thomas (1895), Lorna (1900) and Olive (1906).
Francis Blinco (snr) worked for the Customs Department in Fremantle and the family lived in Edmund Street Beaconsfield. Young Frank was educated at White Gum Valley Primary School and Fremantle Boys School.
After leaving school, Frank took up an apprenticeship with the WA Government Railways as a Fitter at the Midland Workshops. During this time Frank had also been serving for four years a Naval Reserve Cadet.
At this stage the family now moved to Loch Street in Claremont. Frank's older brother Thomas had been serving in the 86th Infantry of the Citizens Military Forces and a newspaper article of the time stated he was also a member of the machine gun section of the Expeditionary Force. In October 1914 Thomas died at home in Claremont of appendicitis. 
As he was a serving member of the 86th Infantry and the Expeditionary Force, he was given a military funeral. The West Australian printed the following article;
 
A MILITARY FUNERAL.
Lance Corporal Thomas Edward Blinco, of
the machine gun section, 86th Infantry,
Western Australian Rifles, and late of the
machine gun section of the expeditionary
force; died at Claremont on the 21st inst.
after a short illness. The deceased was the
eldest son of Mr. Francis Thomas Blinco,
of the Customs Department, Fremantle. He
was a strong, well-built lad of 18 years, and
was in the best of health seven days ago.
The cause of death was appendicitis. The
funeral took place yesterday afternoon with
military honours. The long cortege, headed
by the firing party, moved from his par-
ents' residence, Hillside, Loch-street, Clare-
mont, and proceeded to St. Andrew's
Church, where a service was conducted by
the Rev. W. Patrick, and thence to the
Karrakatta Cemetery, at entrance to which
it was met by representatives of all the
companies of the 86th Infantry, including
members of the expeditionary force. The
remains were interred in the Church of
England portion of the cemetery. Mr.
Patrick, who also officiated at the graveside
delivered an impressive address, in the
presence of a large gathering of relatives
friends,: and militia. At the conclusion of
the service three volleys were fired, and
the "last post" was sounded. The chief
mourners were:-Mr. and Mrs. Blinco (pa-
rents), the Misses Phyllis, Olive and Lorna
Blinco (sisters), Mr. Frank Blinco (bro-
ther), Mesdames F. Harris, E. Blinco and
Miss Daisy Blinco (aunts), Messrs. H., J.,
and E. Blinco, F. Harris, and P. Nicolay
(uncles), Corona, Daisy, Ivan, Norman,
Grace, Hazel, and Jack Blinco, Mrs. E.
Harris, Mrs. R. Berglund, and Mr. W. La-
mont (cousins), and Mr. A. Donaldson. The
pall-bearers were Sergeants Burrows and
Shaw. Lance Corporal Dumble, and Corpo-
rals Weller (of the expeditionary force,
Black Boy Hill), Sweeney, and Leslie, all of
the 86th Infantry. The coffin-bearers were
Corporals Lowe, Wright, Munro, and
Crawford, and Privates McClements and
Crawford (of the 86th Infantry). The firing
party, under Sergeant Bell, was supplied
by "D" company of the 86th Infantry. The
commanding officer of the 86th Infantry
(Colonel Battye) was represented by Cap-
tain L. B. Welch, who was the officer in
command of the parade. Other officers pre-
sen were :-Lieutenants H. A. Mansfield
H. Shaw, C. Gostelow, and T. V. Taylor,
and Sergeant-Major Miller. The Customs
Department was represented by Messrs. O.
T. Orr and O. Hough (inspectors), C. E.
Piesse (Audit Department), and J. W. Ro-
binson, R. Byass, A. T. Patrick, P. L. Eliott
and F. W. Johnson, and the Customs agents
by Mr. F. Sherbourne. Handsome wreaths
were received from the deceased's comrades,
and many other friends, and numerous mes-
sages of condolence have been received by
the relatives. The funeral arrangements were
in the hands of Messrs. Arthur E. Davies
and Co.
 
Thomas Blinco was buried in Karrakatta Cemetery plot Anglican GA 0346.
 
The year after his brothers death, Frank enlisted into the Australian Imperial Force on the 13th July 1915. The medical examiner passed the 18 year old Frank as fit for service and recorded his physical attributes as;
 
 
Height - 5 feet 7 & 3/4 inches tall;
Weight - 148lbs;
Chest Measurement - 35-37 inches;
Complexion - Fair;
Eyes - Grey;
Hair - Dark.
 
After his successful enlistment, Frank was sent to Blackboy Hill Camp where he was assigned to the 9th Reinforcements to the 16th Battalion. However he was then transferred to the 10th Reinforcements to the 11th Battalion. This group departed from Fremantle Harbour on the 13th September 1915 aboard the transport ship HMAT Themistocles.
After arriving in Egypt in October 1915 Frank was marched into the reinforcement camp. He only joined the 11th Battalion on the 7th January 1916 after the battalion had arrived back from Gallipoli.
He trained with the 11th Battalion for the next few months in the Egyptian Desert and then departed with them for France in March 1916. 
Frank served with the 11th Battalion continuously through 1916 and 1917 without being wounded or evacuated sick. He fought at Pozieres and Mouquet Farm in July and August 1916, Lagnicourt, Bullecourt and Third Battle of Ypres in 1917.
On the 22nd October 1917 he was granted a well deserved two week furlough to the UK and on his return was transferred to the 1st Division Headquarters.
In February 1918 he was promoted to Corporal and returned to the 11th Battalion for a short period but soon returned to the 1st Division HQ and he saw out the war with this unit.
On the 28th February 1919 Frank boarded the transport ship Anchises in Devonport England and set sail for Australia, disembarking in Albany on the 7th April 1919.
Frank was discharged from the AIF on the 29th October 1919.
Frank resumed employment with the WA Government Railways and in 1921 he married Amy Mainstone. (Photo below) Amy's brother Ernie was Frank's best man

The wedding took place at St John's Church Fremantle and the reception was held at the Caledonian Club.

A daughter Joan was born in South Fremantle in 1922 and Patty in 1925. During this time they Blinco's were living at Brown Street Claremont.

Francis Henry Blinco died on the 3rd October 1973 in Hollywood Hospital aged 76. He was cremated at Karrakatta Cemetery and is memorialised at HL Downe Memorial Gardens - Garden F 0013.

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