Northamptonshire Regiment

[Guest peewee]

William Knight 19123, 7th Bn Northamptonshire Reg. was killed in France on Thursday 29th March 1917 and buried at Aix-Noulette Communal Cemetery. Can anyone tell me anything about what happened that day? Thank you

[Stebie9173]

The 7th Northamptons were based in the Souchez sector near Vimy Ridge and Arras in late March 1917.

The War Diary records:

A very wet day.

At dusk a Canadian patrol camer across to Souchez Post and reported that they expected to be attacked during the night. Souchez Post was reinforced but no attack developed. A whizz-bang knocked out seven men at Souchez Post, 2 being killed.

Four men of the battalion were killed on that day:

15732 Lance-Corporal Walter Butcher of Northampton (Killed in action)

19123 Private William Knight of Rochester (Killed in action)

13917 Private Alfred Ernest Rodhouse of Northampton (Killed in action)

43512 Private Dan Charles George of Northampton (Died of Wounds)

Bearing in mind the two deaths reported as being caused by the whizz-bang (a small calibre shell), a couple of the above may have been wounded before dying a little later. Private George is buried a few miles back from the front line at a Casualty Clearing Station so may have been wounded during the heavy artillery bombardment on the previous day. The others, including William Knight, are buried at Aix-Noulette Communal Cemetery Extension.

The War Diary of the 28th March 1917 records the following:

Bright at first and changing to dull and rain later.

About 5.30 p.m. a heavy bombardment on our lines and on Vimy Ridge opened and our Artillery retaliated. This lasted about an hour. The enemy opened again at about 5.30 p.m. but all was quiet again by 10 p.m.

2nd Lt. G. P. Rathbone was wounded.

Casualties - Other ranks: 3 killed, Wounded: 10 (including 2 slightly still at duty).

Only one man is reported as Killed on the 28th March 1917 - 28360 Private Robert Wood - so between the 28th and 29th March 1917, the number of men dead is correct, so it is possible that some men killed on the "29th" were killed on the 28th?

William Knight was formerly in the Royal Field Artillery (No. 98851) and joined the Northamptonshire Regiment about 1st April 1915, probably joining the 3rd (Reserve) Battalion at Gillingham/Chatham until being posted overseas to the 7th Battalion on 19th October 1915 as a reinforcement following the battle of Loos.

Steve.