On the Tyne Cot Memorial, Belgium is the name of 291677 Private William Rainey Knott, serving with the 1/7th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers who died 26/10/1917.

William was born in Acaster Malbis, Bishopthorpe, a village near York, on the 5th May 1897, and was baptised on the 30th May 1897, at the Anglian church in the village of Acaster Malbis, the eldest child of five children to George and Jean Annie Knott, [nee Gibson].

Esther Davidson born 1899, Robert Johnson, born 20th May 1900, [in 1939 was residing at 29 Claude Avenue , Middlesbrough, Yorkshire], and Jean Gibson Knott, born 1910, were born at North Shields. There was a 5th child but had died.

In 1901 George’s family was residing at 38, Nelson Street, North Shields, Tynemouth, Northumberland, and by 1911 the family are residing at 3 Grey Street, North Shields, Northumberland.

His father, George Knott, a master mariner died in WW1.

William enlisted in North Shields in September 1914 in to the 1st Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers and was given the service number 6061 and the rank of private. After his training and reaching minimum age to go abroad, he embarked for France on the 28th July 1915. Arriving on the 31st July 1915 at ‘Kemmel Shelters’, near the villages of Kemmel and Locre, where the battalion then took over trenches east of the village. In France he was posted to ‘Y’ Company and was wounded on the 24th August 1915 along with three other men. The War Diary mentions a quiet day with work on the support trenches to be done. There was the usual artillery fire from the Germans, and mining and counter mining was in progress.

William is mentioned in the Newcastle Journal dated Monday the 20th September 1915 as a wounded casualty.

William after recovering from his wounds is posted to the 15th (Reserve), Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers, service number 15/6061. 15th (Reserve) Battalion was formed in Darlington in October 1914 as a Service battalion, part of K4. November 1914, it came under orders of the 89th Brigade, original 30th Division. On the 10th April 1915 it became a Reserve battalion. In September 1916, absorbed into Training Reserve Battalions in 1st Reserve Brigade.

William then was transferred in to the 8th (Service) Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers where he was wounded again in May 1917, rank now a Sergeant.

8th (Service) Battalion was formed at Newcastle in August 1914 as part of K1 and came under orders of the 34th Brigade, 11th (Northern) Division. Moved to Gallipoli in July 1915. Went to Egypt in January 1916 and thence to France in July 1916.

Finally, William was transferred into the 1/7th Battalion and given a new service number 291677 and reverted back to a private. He had been promoted to a Sergeant.

1/7th Battalion, August 1914 in Alnwick. Part of Northumberland Brigade, Northumbrian Division. On the 12th February 1918 it was transferred to the 42nd (East Lancashire) Division and converted to a Pioneer Battalion.

William Rainey Knott was killed in action on the 26th October 1917 at Hazebrouck.

Acknowledgments: John Taylor

William Rainey Knott is remembered at Eighton Banks on E50.01 and E50.02 and in the Battalion History.