Informations sur naissance

Date de naissance:
01/04/1879
Lieu de naissance:
Curdworth, Warwickshire, Angleterre, Royaume-Uni

Informations générales

Profession:
Miner

Informations service militaire

Pays:
Angleterre, Royaume-Uni
Force armée:
British Expeditionary Force
Rang:
Rifleman
Numéro de service:
39650
Incorporation nom de lieu:
Barnsley, Yorkshire, Angleterre, Royaume-Uni
Unités:
 —  West Yorkshire Regiment (Prince of Wales's Own), 1/7th Bn. (Leeds Rifles)  (Dernière unité connue)

Informations sur décès

Date de décès:
12/10/1917
Lieu de décès:
Casualty Clearing Station, Nine Elms, Poperinge, Belgique
Cause du décès:
Died of wounds (D.O.W.)
Âge:
38

Cimetière

Nine Elms British Cemetery
Parcelle: V
Rangée: B
Tombe: 1

Distinctions et médailles 2

British War Medal
Médaille
Victory Medal
Médaille

Points d'intérêt 3

#1 Lieu de naissance
#2 Lieu d'enrôlement
#3 Lieu du décès (approximatif)

Mon histoire

Rifleman Thomas Knight - a miner from Barnsley, West Riding of Yorkshire - served in the West Yorkshire Regiment, 1/7th Battalion (Leeds Rifles), part of the 146th Brigade of the 49th Division. He died of wounds on 12 October 1917.

On the 9th of October, Thomas’ Battalion participated in the Battle of Poelcapelle. In the early hours of the 9th, the Leeds Rifles took up positions northeast of Calgary Grange facing Yetta Houses. At 5:20 a.m. the attack began and the barrage opened. The ground was very wet and soft, and the troops had difficulties keeping up with the barrage. They were, however, able to catch up with the barrage east of the ruined buildings at Peter Pan and Yetta Houses.

German machine-guns were very active throughout the attack. And the men were easy targets, struggling uphill. Many casualties were caused by machine-gun fire coming from pillboxes on the Bellevue spur and from snipers and machine-guns in Wolf Copse and Wolf Farm. Nonetheless the 1/7th was able to capture Yetta Houses and a pillbox at Peter Pan.

During the morning German reinforcements could be seen arriving from Passchendaele and it became obvious that an attack towards the spur was out of the question. The positions were consolidated.

Casualties during the attack were heavy. 56 soldiers were killed, 106 went missing and 125 were wounded. The wounded, amongst whom Thomas, were gathered around the command post at Calgary Grange. This was a small pillbox capable of sheltering about ten men, but by mid-afternoon there were over 90 wounded laid out around the post. Due to the large number of casualties, the rain and the mud, arrangements for the evacuation were postponed. The men were left in the open and were exposed to artillery fire.

Rifleman Thomas Knight died of his wounds on 12 October 1917. He was evacuated to a Casualty Clearing Station at Nine Elms, Poperinge, where he succumbed to his wounds. Thomas was buried in the adjacent Nine Elms Cemetery.

Fichiers 1

Sources 6

Ancestry
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/
Autre référence
CWGC
https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/136975/knight,-thomas/
Sources utilisées
Kirk, A., "Leeds Rifles. The Prince of Wales's Own (West Yorkshire Regiment) 7th & 8th Territorial Battalions 1914-1918", Barnsley, Pen & Sword Military, 2017, pg.140-153.
Sources utilisées
McCarthy, C., "Passchendaele: The Day-by-Day Account", London, Unicorn Publishing Group, 2018, pg.122-123.
Sources utilisées
The long long trail
http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/
Sources utilisées
War Diaries
https://www.archive.org
Autre référence