Name
William George Knight
Circa 1883
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
31/07/1917
34
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
266619
Hertfordshire Regiment
4 Coy.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL
Panel 54 and 56.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
NA
UK & Other Memorials
Hitchin Town Memorial, 4 Co' Hertfordshire Reg' Territorials’ Memorial, Hitchin, St Mary's Church Roll of Honour (Book), Hitchin, St Mary the Virgin Church Memorial, Little Wymondley, Hertfordshire Regimental Memorial, All Saints Church, Hertford
Pre War
William was born around 1883, in Shepreth, Cambridgeshire. His birth may have been registered in Royston. He was the son of William Henry Knight and Harriett Knight. Unfortunately, we know little more of his parents as they have yet to be found in later censuses and William was found in 1891 at the Royston Union Workhouse in Bassingbourn, Cambs. We know that he had a sister called Bertha, and listed there with him were Bertha and Maud Harriett and Alfred Edward, who we can perhaps presume were all siblings
Unfortunately we have yet to identify any of the family in the 1901 census, although we do believe that his sister, Bertha became Mrs Bertha Chapman and lived in Hitchin at some point.
In 1911, William was 28 and working as a farm labourer and boarding at the house of widow Ann Deamer (66), in Little Wymondley Nr Stevenage, Herts. Also boarding there was Mrs Deamer’s nephew William Barker. They both enlisted together with the service numbers 4992 & 4998. William Baker was Killed in Action on the 28th April 1917.
Officially William was recorded as living in Little Wymondley, Herts., when he enlisted in Hertford.
Wartime Service
William was originally Private 4998 Hertfordshire Regiment, meaning that he enlisted between 10 April and 24 May 1915, although other information record this as July 1915. He would have been re-number to 266619 early in 1917 and he was in No. 4 . Company
His sister placed his commemoration in the National Roll of the Great War – these records are what the family knew and are not always 100% correct. However it records that he went to the Western Front in April 1917, took part in several engagements and died at St Julien, Ypres (Belgium) in July 1917 and was entitled to the General and Victory Medals, all of which is probably correct.
He was reported missing after the engagement at St. Julien and was later presumed to have been killed in action.
St. Julien
The 1st Hertfordshire Battalion were in support of an attack on the Langemarck Line and a general bombardment of the German lines commenced at 3.45am on the 31st July and the planned assault began. It had three objectives to achieve known as Blue, Black & Green and units of the 116th Brigade easily captured the first two objectives, preparing the way for the forward companies of the Hertfordshire battalion, to take the third objective.
They had marched from Vlamertingue to their assembly position arriving by midnight on the 30th/31st July 1917. A general bombardment of the German lines commenced at 3.45am on the 31st July. At 05.00am the Hertfordshires left their assembly positions to attack their objective, which lay over the crest of a ridge.
As they made their way forward, they came under heavy fire from both German machine guns and snipers but after eliminating a German strongpoint moved up towards St. Juliaan, which was only lightly held. The Battalion crossed the Steenbeek with some difficulty and two of its supporting Tanks became bogged down in the mud. Things then went from bad to worse. A pre-arranged artillery barrage never materialised due to the guns being unable to move forward over the muddy terrain and the German barbed wire defences, which were fifteen feet deep in some places, were found to still be intact. It was soon realised that ground could only be won by section "rushes" supported by the unit’s own fire.
The Cheshire Regiment were on the right of the battalion but the Black Watch, who were due to cover the left flank, had been seriously delayed. This left the Hertfordshire Regiment seriously exposed, the Germans exploited this by bringing a hurricane of fire down upon the stricken troops. This was followed by a German counterattack and by 10.30am it was clear that the objective could not be achieved. Casualties were very heavy with 459 men being killed, missing or wounded. This was 100% of its Officers and about 75% of its Other Ranks.
Additional Information
William’s direct connect to Hitchin is in fact his entry on the Hitchin memorials, which were requested by his sister.
After his death £7 2s 8d was authorised to go to his sister, Bertha Chapman, on 12 April 1919. Later, a war gratuity of £9 10s was authorised to be paid to her on 12 November 1919.
Acknowledgments
Stuart Osborne, David C Baines, Jonty Wild
