BORN HULL 1877. SON OF MARY ANN BLANCHARD, OF STONEFERRY, HULL. AN OIL REFINER. HE JOINED THE TERRITORIALS IN 1908, SERVING AS A GUNNER IN THE EAST RIDING ROYAL GARRISON ARTILLERY.
HE MARRIED PRUDENCE ROSE (BORN 21/4/1880), AT ST MARKS, HULL, ON 08/01/1903. HIS WIFE AND FIVE CHILDREN, LIVED AT 8, PENZANCE GARDENS, CORNWALL STREET, HULL (ARMY ADDRESS) & 7, CHURCH ROAD, CLEVELAND STREET, HULL (WAR PENSION ADDRESS).
HE ENLISTED IN HULL, ON 16/11/1914, AGED 37 YEARS AND 2 MONTHS. HIS ARMY RECORDS DESCRIBE HIM, AS 5 FOOT 9 INCHES TALL, 175 LBS WEIGHT, 38 INCH CHEST, A MOLE ON HIS RIGHT CHEEK. HE ARRIVED IN FRANCE, ON 28/04/1916. SERVED AS A GUNNERIN THE 2ND HULL HEAVY BATTERY. HE DIED FROM WOUNDS, ON 09/07/1916, AGED 39. HE HAD SERVED IN THE ARMY FOR 1 YEARS AND 237 DAYS.
HIS DEATH WAS REPORTED IN THE HULL DAILY MAIL, ON 04/08/1916.
HIS ARMY EFFECTS WERE LEFT TO HIS WIDOW AND 5 CHILDREN, WHO MOVED TO 5 GRANVILLE AVENUE, WITHERNSEA STREET, HULL. HIS PARENTS WERE BOTH DECEASED. HE LEFT BROTHERS, GEORGE AND WALTER BLANCHARD, AND SISTERS, ALICE AND EMILY. HE IS BURIED ON THE SOMME. HIS GRAVE INSCRIPTION READS, “EVER IN THOUGHTS”.
