James Huntley Knight

1878 - 1955  (77 years)

• Name	James Huntley Knight  [1, 2, 3, 4]
  Birth	Abt 1877	Yeovil, Somerset   [5]
  Born	5 Nov 1878	Yeovil, Somerset   [4]
  Gender	Male
  Birth	Abt 1879  [2]
  	Age 24 at marriage
  Service	1901  [6]
  	Corporal, The King's (Liverpool) Regiment
  Honour	4 Jan 1901  [2, 4]
  	Victoria Cross
  Service	Captain, Manchester Regiment  [6]
  Name	Henry James Knight  [4, 5]
  Occupation	1 Jul 1903  [2]
  	Sergeant, King's Regiment
  Residence	1 Jul 1903	Milborne St Andrew, Dorset   [2]
  Occupation	2 Apr 1911  [5]
  	Colour Sergeant, 2Bn, the King's Regiment
  Residence	2 Apr 1911	India   [5]
  	precise location not stated
  Residence	1918	High Street, Milbourne Styleham, Dorset   [3]
  Residence	1922	High Street, Milbourne Styleham, Dorset   [3]
  Died	24 Nov 1955	Anderson, Dorset   [4]
  Notes	son of Huntley Knight, weaver Citation for VC reads, from Wikipedia: War Office, January 4, 1901. THE Queen has been graciously pleased to signify Her intention to confer the decoration of the Victoria Cross on the undermentioned Non-Commissioned Officer, whose claims have been submitted for Her Majesty's approval, for his conspicuous bravery during the operations near Van Wyk's Vlei, as stated against his name :- 1st Battalion Liverpool Regiment. No. 1 Company, 4th Division Mounted Infantry Corporal H. J. Knight On the 21st August, during the operations near Van Wyk's Vlei, Corporal Knight was posted in some rocks with four men covering the right rear of a detachment of the same Company who, under Captain Ewart, were holding the right of the line. The enemy, about 50 strong, attacked Captain Ewart's right and almost surrounded, at short range, Corporal Knight's small party. That Non-Commissioned Officer held his ground, directing his party to retire one by one to better cover, where he maintained his position for nearly an hour, covering the withdrawal of Captain Ewart's force, and losing two of his four men. He then retired, bringing with him two wounded men. One of these he left in a place of safety, the other he carried himself for nearly two miles. The party were hotly engaged during the whole time. From AngloBoerWar.com Written by David Biggins 21st August 1900, Van Wyk's Vlei He was born in Yeovil on 5th November 1878 and enlisted as a band boy under the name of Henry James Knight, at the age of 14 in The King's Liverpool Regiment. He was awarded the Victoria Cross for services in South Africa [London Gazette, 4 January 1901]: "H J [sic] Knight, Corporal, 1st Battalion The Liverpool Regiment, No 1 Company, 4th Division, Mounted Infantry. On the 21st August during the operations near Van Wyk's Vlei, Corporal Knight was posted in some rocks with four men, covering the right rear of a detachment of the same company, who, under Captain Ewart, were holding the right of the line. The enemy, about fifty strong, attacked Captain Ewart's right and almost surrounded, at short range, Corporal Knight's small party. That non-commissioned officer held his ground, directing his party to retire one by one to better cover, while he maintained his position for nearly an hour, covering the withdrawal of Captain Ewart's force, and losing two of his four men. He then retired, bringing with him two wounded men. One of these he left in a place of safety, the other he carried for nearly two miles. The party were hotly engaged during the whole time". He was presented with his VC at Pretoria on 8th June 1902 by General Lord Kitchener and was later promoted Colour Sergeant. After 19 years service he retired from the regiment but following the outbreak of the Great War he enlisted on 25 August in the 11th (Empire Battalion) Royal Fusiliers, later renumbered 17th Royal Fusiliers, and was rapidly promoted Regimental Sergeant Major. In January 1915 he was commissioned as temporary Lieutenant in the 20th Battalion Manchester regiment being promoted temporary Captain May 1915. He relinquished this commission in October 1915 and then re-enlisted the following month as a Private under the name of James Huntley Knight in the London Scottish Regt. He was promoted to Lance Corporal and then Corporal before being wounded at Gommecourt in the Somme on 26th June 1916. He was discharged from the army on 15th March 1917. He spent the remainder of his life in his wife's home village of Milbourne St Andrew in Dorset. He was a friend of T E Lawrence who lived near by, and was actively involved with the local British Legion. He died on 24th November 1955 and his medals were later presented to The Kings Regt for safe keeping. There is a memorial to him in the church yard at Milbourne St Andrew.
  Person ID	I67737	ONS
  Last Modified	2 Nov 2014

  
  

  Family	Carrie Ellen Smith,   b. Abt Feb 1880, Milborne St Andrew, Dorset ,   d. Abt Nov 1957, Poole RD, Dorset  (Age ~ 77 years)
  Married	1 Jul 1903	St Andrew, Milborne St Andrew, Dorset   [2]
  Witness	1 Jul 1903  [2]
  	Annie Beatrice Mary Smith
  Witness	1 Jul 1903  [2]
  	Charles Parsons
  Married	Abt Aug 1903	Blandford RD, Dorset   [1]
  Children	1. Gladys Eliza Knight,   b. Abt 1905, Warrington, Lancashire   2. Lily Knight,   b. Abt 1906, Warrington, Lancashire   3. Agnes Ellen Knight,   b. Abt 1909, Jutogh, Punjab, India
  Family ID	F9757	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Event Map		Birth - Abt 1877 - Yeovil, Somerset Born - 5 Nov 1878 - Yeovil, Somerset Residence - 1 Jul 1903 - Milborne St Andrew, Dorset Married - 1 Jul 1903 - St Andrew, Milborne St Andrew, Dorset Married - Abt Aug 1903 - Blandford RD, Dorset Residence - 2 Apr 1911 - India  = Link to Google Earth
  Pin Legend	: Address       : Location       : City/Town       : County/Shire       : State/Province       : Country       : Not Set

  
  

• Sources

  [S475] BMD register (England & Wales) - marriages - multiple sources. available online from various sources [S64] Parish Register - marriages. indicates that we have seen the original parish register, microfilm/fiche or a scanned image [S810] Electoral Roll. [S89] Wikipedia. [S156] 1911 Census - England & Wales. [S155] Derby Mercury.