Dvr
Harry Knowles
Information about birth
|
Date of birth: 25/05/1875 |
|
Place of birth: Chelsea, Surrey, England, United Kingdom |
General information
|
Profession: Stableman |
Army information
|
Country: Canada |
|
Force: Canadian Expeditionary Force |
|
Rank: Driver |
|
Service number: 300315 |
|
Enlistment date: 10/08/1915 |
|
Enlistment place: Peterborough, Ontario, Canada |
|
Units: — Canadian Field Artillery, 5th Bde. (Last known unit) |
Information about death
|
Date of death: 01/11/1917 |
|
Place of death: No. 5 General Hospital, Rouen, France |
|
Cause of death: Died of wounds (D.O.W.) |
|
Age: 42 |
Cemetery
|
St. Sever Cemetery Extension, Rouen Plot: III Row: S Grave: 4B |
Distinctions and medals 2
|
British War Medal Medal |
|
Victory Medal Medal |
Points of interest 3
| #1 | Place of birth | ||
| #2 | Enlistment place | ||
| #3 | Place of death (approximate) |
My story
Harry Knowles was born in Chelsea near London in 1875. In 1912 when Harry was 37, he, his wife and six children emigrated to Canada. The family ended up in Peterborough, Ontario, where Harry worked as a stableman.
Harry enlisted on 10 August 1915. As a trained stableman he joined the 7th Brigade Royal Canadian Field Artillery as a Driver. He landed in France in January 1916. Harry eventually transferred to the 5th Brigade, of the 2nd Canadian Divisional Artillery, in March 1917.
In October 1917 the 5th Brigade moved to Ypres to assist the Canadian Divisions, which would attack the Passchendaele heights. On 27 October 1917 the 5th and 6th Artillery Brigades of the 2nd Canadian Division took over the guns and positions of the British 66th Divisional Artillery near Zonnebeke.
While the 5th Artillery Brigade supported the troops on the Passchendaele Ridge, the positions of the brigade were frequently. On the 31st the brigade prepared itself for the 3rd phase of the Canadian attack and more ammunition was rushed up. The German artillery anticipated by shelling the wagon lines with mustard gas in order to disorganize the movement of supplies. One officer was wounded, three men were killed and 26 men were wounded.
Harry was wounded during a gas attack. The 42-year-old was evacuated to No. 5 General Hospital in Rouen France, where he succumbed to gas poisoning on the following day.
Harry enlisted on 10 August 1915. As a trained stableman he joined the 7th Brigade Royal Canadian Field Artillery as a Driver. He landed in France in January 1916. Harry eventually transferred to the 5th Brigade, of the 2nd Canadian Divisional Artillery, in March 1917.
In October 1917 the 5th Brigade moved to Ypres to assist the Canadian Divisions, which would attack the Passchendaele heights. On 27 October 1917 the 5th and 6th Artillery Brigades of the 2nd Canadian Division took over the guns and positions of the British 66th Divisional Artillery near Zonnebeke.
While the 5th Artillery Brigade supported the troops on the Passchendaele Ridge, the positions of the brigade were frequently. On the 31st the brigade prepared itself for the 3rd phase of the Canadian attack and more ammunition was rushed up. The German artillery anticipated by shelling the wagon lines with mustard gas in order to disorganize the movement of supplies. One officer was wounded, three men were killed and 26 men were wounded.
Harry was wounded during a gas attack. The 42-year-old was evacuated to No. 5 General Hospital in Rouen France, where he succumbed to gas poisoning on the following day.
Sources 8
|
Ancestry https://www.ancestry.com/ Further reference |
|
Ancestry http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/lac-bac/search/arch Sources used |
|
Circumstances of Death https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/mass-digitized-archives/circumstances-death-registers/Pages/circumstances-death-registers.aspx Sources used |
|
CWGC https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/27733/knowles,-/ Sources used |
|
Service Record https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/military-heritage/first-world-war/personnel-records/Pages/search.aspx Sources used |
|
The Long, Long Trail https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/ Sources used |
|
War Graves Registers https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/mass-digitized-archives/commonwealth-war-graves-registers/pages/commonwealth-war-graves-registers.aspx Sources used |
|
Wichita Public Radio https://www.kmuw.org/post/whispers-dead-remembering-great-war-harry-knowles-and-countrys-coming-age Sources used |