KNIGHT, Frank Nicholls
| Service Number: | 231 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 16 March 1916, 1 year senior Cadets 3 years militia, 1st Lt |
| Last Rank: | Sergeant |
| Last Unit: | 2nd Machine Gun Battalion |
| Born: | Atherstone, Leicestershire, England, April 1895 |
| Home Town: | Castlemaine, Mount Alexander, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Engineer and draftsman |
| Died: | Pneumonia following Influenza, Leicester, England (on leave), United Kingdom, 9 November 1918 |
| Cemetery: |
Leicester (Welford Road) Cemetery, England Leicester (Welford Road) Cemetery (O1. 395), Leicestershire, Welford Road Cemetery, Leicester, Leicestershire, England, United Kingdom |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Castlemaine Christ Church Anglican Church Memorial Window |
World War 1 Service
| 16 Mar 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 231, 2nd Machine Gun Company, 1 year senior Cadets 3 years militia, 1st Lt | |
|---|---|---|
| 4 May 1916: | Involvement Private, 231, 2nd Machine Gun Company, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '21' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Port Lincoln embarkation_ship_number: A17 public_note: '' | |
| 4 May 1916: | Embarked Private, 231, 2nd Machine Gun Company, HMAT Port Lincoln, Melbourne | |
| 1 Nov 1916: | Promoted AIF WW1, Corporal, 2nd Machine Gun Battalion | |
| 14 Jul 1917: | Promoted AIF WW1, Sergeant, 2nd Machine Gun Company | |
| 18 Mar 1918: | Transferred AIF WW1, Sergeant, 22nd Machine Gun Company | |
| 9 Nov 1918: | Involvement Sergeant, 231, 2nd Machine Gun Battalion, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 231 awm_unit: 2nd Australian Machine Gun Battalion awm_rank: Sergeant awm_died_date: 1918-11-09 |
Help us honour Frank Nicholls Knight's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Evan Evans
The summary below was completed by Cathy Sedgwick – Facebook “WW1 Australian War Graves in England/UK/Scotland/Ireland
Died on this date – 9th November…… Frank Nicholls Knight was born at Witherley, near Atherstone, Leicestershire, England in 1895.
According to information supplied by his father for the Roll of Honour – Frank Knight came to Australia when he was 17 years old.
Frank Nicolls Knight was appointed 2nd Lieutenant (provisional) with 66th (Mount Alexander) Infantry on 1st March, 1914.
He applied for a Commission in the Australian Imperial Force on 25th November, 1915. He was aged 20 years & 7 months (date of birth listed as 14th April, 1895) & a Draughtsman from Castlemaine, Victoria. Frank Knight stated on his application form that he had completed 1 year with Senior Cadets & 2 ½ years with Citizen Forces. He had been 1st Lieutenant with 66th Infantry & had attended No. 2 Musketry School at Port Melbourne.
He applied again for a Commission in the Australian Imperial Force on 25th January, 1916. He was aged 20 years & 10 months (date of birth listed as 14th January, 1895).
On 16th March, 1916 Frank Nicholls Knight enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force. He was a 21 year old, single, Engineer and Draftsman from Castlemaine, Victoria.
Private Frank Nicholls Knight embarked from Melbourne, Victoria on HMAT Port Lincoln (A17) on 4th May, 1916 with the 2nd Machine Gun Company, 2nd Reinforcements. He was taken on strength of 1st Divisional Troops at Tel-el-Kebir on 5th July, 1916 & embarked from Alexandria for Overseas on 29th July, 1916 on HMT Arcadia.
He was appointed Acting (Extra Duty Pay) Corporal for period 11th August, 1916 to 5th October, 1916 & appointed Acting Corporal (without Pay) from 6th October, 1916. Acting Corporal (without Pay) Frank Nicholls Knight was promoted Corporal (with extra duty pay) from 6th October, 1916.
Corporal Frank Nicholls Knight was to be E.D.P. (Extra Duty Pay) Sergeant from 25th November, 1916 to 31st December, 1916. He was appointed E.D.P. (Extra Duty Pay) Corporal while posted at Machine Gun Training Depot at Grantham, England from 1st January, 1917.
E.D.P. Corporal Frank Nicholls Knight was taken on strength of 22nd Machine Gun Company on 17th March, 1917 from Machine Gun Training Depot at Grantham, England. He proceeded overseas to France via Southampton on 17th March, 1917 from Machine Gun Training Depot & reverted to ranks on proceeding overseas on 17th March, 1917.
On 15th March, 1917 (date as per Casualty form – Active Service) Private Frank Nicholls Knight was promoted to Sergeant while posted with 22nd Machine Gun Company.
He was transferred from 22nd Machine Gun Company on 12th July, 1917 to complete establishment at A.M.G.T.D. (Australian Machine Gun Training Depot) in England. He reported at A.I.F. Headquarters, London, England on 13th July, 1917 & was instructed to report at Machine Gun Training Depot at Grantham on 16th July, 1917. Sergeant Knight was marched in to the Australian Machine Gun Training Depot, Grantham, England on 16th July, 1917.
Sergeant Frank Nicholls Knight was attached for duty with Permanent Cadre of Machine Gun Training Depot at Grantham on 4th October, 1917 – Orders from Headquarters, Tidworth, Wiltshire, England.
On 2nd January, 1918 Sergeant Frank Nicholls Knight ceased duty with Permanent Cadre of Machine Gun Training Depot at Grantham. He proceeded overseas to France via Folkestone on 2nd January, 1918 & was marched in to M.G.C.B.D. (Machine gun Company Base Depot) at Camiers, France on 3rd January, 1918. He was marched out from M.G.C.B.D. on 6th January, 1918 & was taken on strength of 22nd Machine Gun Company in the Field on 8th January, 1918.
Sergeant Frank Nicholls Knight was appointed Acting C.S.M. (Company Sergeant Major) vice Williams promoted from 27th June, 1918. He was promoted to Temporary C.S.M from 19th July, 1918.
Temporary C.S.M. (Company Sergeant Major) Frank Nicholls Knight made an application to relinquish the temporary rank of C.S.M. back to Sergeant on 24th October, 1918. His application was approved & he reverted back to the rank of Sergeant on 24th October, 1918 at his own request.
Sergeant Frank Nicholls Knight was on leave to UK from 1st November, 1918.
Sergeant Frank Nicholls Knight died on 9th November, 1918 while on leave at 13 Severn Street, Leicester (the residence of his Uncle – Mr F. O. Robinson) from Pneumonia following Influenza.
He was buried in Welford Road Cemetery, Leicester, Leicestershire, England where 7 other WW1 Australian War Graves are located.
(The above is a summary of my research. The full research can be found by following the link below)
https://ww1austburialsuk.weebly.com/leicester.html
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