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General => Armed Forces => World War One => Topic started by: Suffolk Mawther on Wednesday 13 May 09 16:06 BST (UK)
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5313 Private William A Knights
Coy.2nd/1st Bucks Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry, Beccles Suffolk
Beccles and District Historical Society are getting back to me on this one.
At the moment, I cannot find siblings for this lad, which is not very helpful - so I am looking further back to see if his father had brothers.
Howsumever, Oi shall hev to crorss over the border into Narfolk to follow him up.
After searching, I am pretty sure this is the right family (but who knows eh?)
In 1891
Frederick Knights is head of the family living in London Road, he is listed as an employer - farmer age 34 born Norfolk at Haddiscoe
His wife Emily is 26 years old and from Yorks, Sheffield
Their son WILLIAM is just 2 years old born North Cove Suffolk
Also living with the family - an aunt age 81, Martha C Roe born Lowestoft
a general servant also born Lowestoft, Hannah Brown age 19
1901
Still at London Road, Beccles
Frederick now age 44, farmer This is wrong ancestor - see below
Emily now 36 years old
WILLIAM now 12 years old
Maria Ling servant age 23 from Beccles.
Will have a look at the 1911.
Pat ...
Recorders' Secretary
Suffolk Local History Council
looking after local history groups throughout Suffolk
www.slhc.org.uk
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Have found a researcher by the name of ALAN PEAK on A******y, whose family tree seems to be the correct one for William Knights ancestral line.
Unfortunately email is bouncing, so if anyone knows Alan or if he is on Rootschat - please Alan give me a call :D
Have also found a few Knights researchers in the same area as William's family who are listed on my own web site* ::)
Am contacting them too.
Pat ...
www.slhc.org.uk (work)
www.suffolk-surnames-list.co.uk* (home)
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Hi Pat
This is his entry on CWGC
Name:KNIGHTS, WILLIAM
Initials:W
Nationality:United Kingdom
Rank:Private
Regiment/Service:Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry
Unit Text: "A" Coy. 2nd/1st Bucks Bn.
Age: 24
Date of Death: 19/07/1916
Service No: 5313
Additional information:Son of William L. and Harriett Elizabeth Knights, of 18, Pudding Moor, Beccles, Suffolk.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference:Panel 83 to 85.
Memorial: LOOS MEMORIAL
His medal card shows he got the British War Medal (BWM) and the Allied Victory Medal (VM) so it looks like he didn't go into theatre until 1916.
Glen
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OOOOOOPS!
Thank you Glen ;)
Back to the drawing board! or rather the Census returns.
Looks like I was following the wrong family.
Back soon
Pat ...
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Pat
One other possible bit of info...
If he joined in 1916 or late 1915 he could well have been a conscript. I don't know if their names were reported in the local papers at the time or not???
See about 2/3 of the way down http://www.1914-1918.net/recruitment.htm
Glen
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5313 Private William M Knights
Birth Place and residence Beccles, Suffolk
Died 19 Jul 1916 Killed in Action
Regiment: Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry
Battalion: 2/1st Bucks Battalion.
Note - Formerly 1801, Suffolk Regt.
1891 Melbourne Cottage, Denmark Road, Beccles
William L Knights age 28 Master of Wherry (not owner) born Beccles
Harriett E Knights his wife age 26
WILLIAM M Knights son age 7 months
Arthur E Pluck boarder age 23 a railway shunter
All born Beccles
1901
Puddingmoor, Beccles
William L Knights age 36 a Waterman Barge (own account)
Harriett E, wife 35
William M son age 11
Phyllis K daughter age 6
Grace R daughter age 3
Thomas brother to William L age 35 a printer compositor
Ada Kirby a general domestic servant age 16
All born in Beccles
Husband was very interested in the Wherry operation and later it looks as though William senior had purchased a barge. The brother who is listed as printer/compositor, Beccles was known as home to printing works.
That's me for tonight :-\
Better get some sleep.
Pat ...
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Glen
Will follow up some more leads in the morning.
Have had a reply from one of the Knights researchers that looks promising.
Night Night
Pat ...
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Having established that our lad is William M Knights (not A as thought) we are really rolling now.
William Madley Knights born 31 Aug 1890 bap 16 Sep 1890, Beccles. His parents were William Lockwood KNIGHTS (b.28 Aug 1862) and Harriet Elizabeth ??? b.1866 in Beccles.
Am following up on his brother Jack Kenneth Knights b.24 Dec 1892
there were also two sisters.
Back later
Pat ...
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Thanks to help from Jenny Ellis-Newman in Australia, a 'Knights of Suffolk' researcher, I have several leads to follow up to living relatives - some in the UK and some in Australia.
Pat ...
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Pat,
To say I'm dumbfounded would be an understatement.
I, personally, can't thank the Beccles LHC and the Jenny from the "Knights of Suffolk" enough for their help.
From Scaveger Hunts to Fromelles, it is still incredible how people can work together to get a result.
I've got some information on another Suffolk man at Fromelles - James E Winterborn - but I'll post it on the Suffolk board.
Glen
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The Beccles paper of 22nd August 1916 had the report: DEATH OF SOLDIER. Mr W. Knights of Puddingmoor received news that his son William was killed in action in France on 19 July. He was formerly employed in the machine department at the Caxton Printing Works. Early in the war he enlisted in the 6th Suffolk Cyclists, and was quite recently transferred to the Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry.
William Madeley Knights was one of the "Knights" included in the list of "Beccles Men who served in the Great War 1914-18", as compiled by a local committee and first published in book form in 1920.
KNIGHTS, Alfred, 16, Alexandra-road, 1914, R.F.C., 2nd Air Mech. Disch. March, 1919.
KNIGHTS, Daniel, 21, Old Mill-terrace, 1915, R. A.S.C., Pte. Disch. Feb., 1919.
KNIGHTS, Edward B., 27, Smallgate, 1914, R.F.A., Bomb. Disch. Jan., 1919.
KNIGHTS, Ernest, 16, Alexandra-road, 1914, R.F.A., Sgnr. Disch. June, 1919.
KNIGHTS, Frank V., 45, Caxton-road, 1915, Royal Inniskillings Fusiliers, Cpl. W. Disch. Feb., 1919.
KNIGHTS, Harry W., 17, Hungate-lane, 1905, R.F.A., Gnr. Disch. Mar., 1919.
KNIGHTS, James W., 99, Denmark-road., 1914, Suffolk Yeomanry, Cpl.
KNIGHTS, Jack K., 18, Puddingmoor, 1914, 1/5 Suffolks, Pte. Died of W.. April 22, 1917. (William's brother.)
KNIGHTS, William M., 18, Puddingmoor, 1914, 2/1 Oxford and Bucks L.L, Pte. Killed July 19, 1916.
KNIGHTS, Mark, 16, Alexandra-road, 1916, R.F.C., Cpl. Disch. Feb., 1919.
He was also included on the the Caxton Press Roll of Honour which appeared in the Beccles Paper of 20th April 1920 - "W.M.Knights Pte 2/1st Batt Oxford & Bucks LI Machine".
Individual Events and Attributes
Birth 31 Aug 1890 Wangford Suffolk England
Baptism 16 Sep 1890 (age Infant) Wangford Suffolk England
Death 19 Jul 1916 (age 25) Laventie Pas de Calais France
Burial 22 Jul 1916 (app) (age 25) Lens Pas de Calais France
Occupation Soldier
Religion Church of England
Group/Caste Membership Caucasian
National or Tribal Origin English
Additional Information
Birth Family: ...of William Lockwood KNIGHTS and Harriet Elizabeth WARD
Address: Beccles sub-district
Baptism Beccles sub-district
Death Cause: Killed in action.
Serving in the "A" Company, 2nd/1st Battalion, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry.
Address: Laventie,
Burial Grave/Memorial reference: Panel 83 to 85.
Address: Loos Memorial Cemetery
Individual Note
Residence Census 1891 RG12/1488/30:- Welbourne Cottages, Denmark Road, Beccles, Suffolk.
Residence Census 1901 RG13/1799/11:- Pudding Moor, Beccles, Suffolk.
1916 19th July:- Serving as Private 5313 in the "A" Company 2nd/1st Battalion, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry. Killed in action. Probably killed during the German bombardment at Laventie.
Enlisted at Beccles.
Awarded the Victory and British War Medals.