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GS/5864 Pte Stanley Knowles 21st Lancers


Cavalryman24

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Hi all, I have a conundrum I am trying to trace the POW record for the above 21st Lancer. this is what I have:

GS/5864 Pte Stanley Knowles, Stanley enlisted into the 21st Lancers and joined No 1 Service Squadron disembarking in France on 15th June 1916. He was wounded on patrol on 17th March 1917 north of Etricourt sic (Etricourt –Manancourt) due to enemy fire he was not recovered immediately and by the time a volunteer party had returned to collect him in the evening he was missing. It was assumed he had been captured by the Germans however he does not appear on the ICRC records as a POW although he is recorded as a POW on 14th May 1917 by the Western Front Association.  Stanley’s medal roll indicates he was discharged to the reserve on 5th April 1919.

I have found a POW record for a Stancey Knowles but cannot confirm it is the same man 

image.png.6445fc78e01733b04efb5fff5c32f81c.png

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

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Searching the medal rolls for 'Stanley Rowles' and 'Lancers' as a keyword gives only 1 result. This is the GS/5864 later l/10044.

Searching just with 'Knowles' and 'Lancers' as a keyword gives 5 results. Only one is a 'Stanley' and none are 'S. Rowles'.

It looks like the record is for your man.

Regards,

Alf McM

Edited by alf mcm
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There are no useful clues that I can see in the ICRC Record. Perhaps the squadron of 21/L that served on the WF was within a formation with the number '24'. Beyond my research capabilities. Perhaps a German speaker can add something.

Acknown

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I don't know if you have seen this entry in the Admissions and Discharge book for No 2 General Hospital as held by Find My Past:-

21/Lancers  #5864  Pte. Knowles, S  Age 34

Completed years of service - 2

Completed months with field force - 5

Illness - Diarrhoea

Admitted - 13.10.16

Discharged - 7.11.16

Discharged to - Convalescent Depot

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No 1 Service Squadron served with 2nd  King Edwards Horse

 

Many thanks Allan further valuable info on my man. Does FMP have anything on him being a POW?

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2 minutes ago, Cavalryman24 said:

Many thanks Allan further valuable info on my man. Does FMP have anything on him being a POW?

Unfortunately not, I was surprised that they haven't as I have had success on FMP for all of my POW searches.

The page that he appears on records the illness for every name as Diarrhoea or Dysentery.

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That's the trouble I have had tracking down a POW record on ICRC and I think the image I put in my question is the reason as I think he was list incorrectly.  I don't have access to the Western Front Association records so could not see the full details only his listing as a POW  in May 1917.

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Here is his Pension Card (via Fold 3/WFA):

KNOWLES.JPG.071ac1b30f83ac81909c054c169f8a11.JPG

It seems that he was reported dead on 06 Jun 17, but then found to be alive and a POW. I ought to know what a C2 Casualty is, but I don't.

Acknown

Addition: In fact, 'C2 Cas' may mean that the case was given to the C2 Casualty department of the War Office that was responsible for casualty lists.

Edited by Acknown
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S.Knowles 5846 (sic), Lancers, Darwen, was shown as wounded and missing in the Daily Casualty list of The Times 2/5/17.

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4 hours ago, Cavalryman24 said:

No 1 Service Squadron served with 2nd  King Edwards Horse

The ICRC record you posted does at least say he was 1 eskadron, (ie 1 Squadron) and given the list date and the fact he was wounded  and hospitalized(lazarette) makes it pretty certain it is your man. That 24 Cav Regt could be a misread of 21?

@charlie2is good on these.

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The list which was sent from the Prussian War Ministry on 19.05.1917, records a GSW to his right thigh and knee and that he was transferred from Kriegslazarett Cambrai to Reserve Lazarett III Hamburg.

Charlie

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13 hours ago, Cavalryman24 said:

Thanks alf mcm I was hoping someone may have further supporting evidence of him as a POW.

Hi

The Darwen News has the following reports for Trooper Stanley Knowles 21st Lancers of 17 Alpha St Darwen

18 Apr 1917 - wounded. This report is repeated in the 21 Apr issue. There is a third report 2 Jun 1917 that mentions he was POW. 
 

I will get transcriptions of these reports when I am next in Darwen Library

Regards,  Tony 

 

 

 

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Hi

I should have mentioned that at the end of the war Darwen published a booklet that listed the town’s POWs. Knowles is included gives his regiment as Lancers No 10044 date of capture 18 Mar 1917

Tony

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As an aside, I note that Findmypast have at least 3 early 'attempts' at enlistment by Stanley Knowles of Darwen, birth date around 1883. One discharge by purchase, one discharge underage etc.

Charlie

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Thank you to everyone who has responded, I now have masses of information about Stanley, what a fantastic resource the Forum is. He was given a new number on repatriation of L/10044 on joining the Corps of Lancers prior to his discharge.

Edited by Cavalryman24
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Hi

 

Copied below are the reported from the Darwen News

Regards,

Tony

 

Darwen News, Wednesday, Apr 18, 1917. [The same report appeared in the following Saturday's issue]

Trooper S Knowles

Mrs Stanley Knowles, of 17 Alpha Street, has received information that her husband, Trooper Stanley Knowles, of the 21st Lancers, has been wounded and missing since March 18th 1917. He has been in France about a year. He enlisted on November 24th 1914. He was a joiner by trade, and he worked for Messrs Wilson, joiners and builders at Lower Darwen. He was an enthusiastic cricketer, having played with the Central Wesleyans for many year, and up to the time of enlisting was a member of the Darwen Cricket Team. He attended Railway road Wesleyan Chapel.


Darwen News, Saturday, Jun 2, 1917

Mrs Knowles, of 17 Alpha Street, has received a card from Grastrow Camp (Germany), stating that ther husband, Trooper Stanley Knowles, (34), who was reported wounded and missing on March 18th is now wounded and a prisoner of War.

Trooper Knowles, who joined the army in November 1914, went to France in June 1916.

Before enlisting he was a joiner for Mr Wilson, of Lower Darwen, and attended Railway Road Wesleyan Chapel, from whom he played cricket before joining the Darwen team.

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