Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Birth

Christopher Stephen Kneebone was born on 9th August 1895 at Woodville, the son of John Henry Stephen Kneebone (died 1933) and Mary Matilda (nee Le Messurier). (d 1945)

Schooling

Christopher attended the Pulteney Street School where in 1909 he won a scholarship to St Peter’s College. He attended St Peter’s from 1910-1912. In 1910 he was awarded the Gething Scholarship. He passed his Senior Examinations in 1910.

In 1911 he became the Bow for the St Peter’s rowing team. He rowed in regattas and in the Henley-on-Torrens event. In 1912 he rowed in an Inter-collegiate event in Melbourne against Melbourne Grammar and Scotch College.

In 1912 Christopher commenced playing football for St Peter’s in the Amateur League; he also represented the College at Intercollegiate Football that year.
In December 1912 he passed subjects in the Higher Public Examinations and won the school’s First Bowman (science) scholarship.

He was Bow for the St Peter’s crew at the Public Schools Fours in December 1912.
The picture below shows the St. Peter's College Football team who in 1912 played in the inter-collegiate match. Every one of the members of the team answered the call to arms and crossed the sea to fight for his country.

Adelaide University

In February 1913 Christopher was awarded a Government Bursary to attend Adelaide University. He was a student in the Faculty of Applied Science. In addition to his University subject, he passed subjects in the School of Arts Examinations and the School of Mines Examinations in 1913. In 1914 and 1915 he passed subjects at Adelaide University and at the School of Mines.

University Sport

Cricket
In January 1915 Christopher played B Grade cricket for the University.

Football
Christopher played A grade football for the Blacks in the Amateur League in 1915 and in the Adelaide Association in 1919.

Rowing
Christopher commenced rowing for the University in March 1913. He was the emergency for the crew at the Intervarsity in Melbourne in July 1913 and in Adelaide in June 1914. He rowed in the University in the Autumn Regatta in April 1915.

World War I

On the 23rd of November aged 20 years and four months, Christopher enlisted (SN 4360). He was described as a Mining Student, 5’7”, 144 lbs., with a dark complexion, brown eyes and dark hair. He had been a Senior Cadet for 18 months in the 78th Infantry and had transferred to the 76th & 77th. He was a Private in the 27th Battalion, 11th Reinforcements. He embarked from Adelaide, South Australia, on board HMAT A9 Shropshire on 25 March 1916 and served in France.

In late 1916 he was in hospital for several months due to trench fever. He was sent back to England to hospital. He returned to active service in Belgium on 20th October 1917. On 16th June 1918 he was transferred to the 7th Field Coy Engineers as a Sapper. He served several periods as a temporary Corporal. He was awarded the Military Medal for conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty, during the construction of bridges across the Somme at Halle near Peronne on 31st August and 1st September 1918. Christopher returned to Australia on 28 February 1919.

A brother, Dr John Le Messurier Kneebone, who had graduated in medicine from Adelaide University in 1911, enlisted in the Royal Army Medical Corps in 1914. He had been studying for a surgical fellowship in London. He served at Gallipoli, Middle East and France and was Mentioned in Despatches on more than one occasion.

Post WW1 - Return to Australia

After the war Christopher returned to his studies at Adelaide University and the School of Mines. In June 1919 he was on the Committee to organise the University Ball.

He played football for the University in 1919, however was unable to go to Melbourne for the Intervarsity match. As one of the key forwards, this weakened the Team.

In July 1919 he played football for the 27th Battalion in a Military Match verses the 10th Battalion.

In March 1920 Christopher left for Tasmania where he has secured an appointment. In May 1920 he was awarded a mining scholarship.

In December 1920 he was awarded his Bachelor of Engineering and Diploma of Applied Science (in absentia). In May 1922, the Edna May Golden Point Company engaged Christopher to undertake a survey in the Roebourne area (near Pt Hedland), WA.

In September 1922 Christopher (of Woodville) attended the Conference of the Australian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy at Port Pirie, SA. By April 1923, Christopher was working at Iron Knob, when he purchased a Douglas motorcycle. While in Iron Knob he was officer-in-charge of the BHP operations. He left Iron Knob in February 1924.

In May 1924 Christopher accepted a position as engineer with the Kamunting Tin dredging Company, Petak, Malay. He spent four years in Malay then six weeks in London before returning to Adelaide (aboard ‘Naldera’ via Freemantle) on 20 December 1927.

Christopher returned to Malay in March 1928 and arrived back in Australia aboard the ‘Chitral’ from London which docked in Fremantle on 14 July 1931, then came on to Adelaide. Christopher travelled in a first class salon. While on holidays in Adelaide he competed in the State Golf Championships for Men. He also visited Melbourne and planned to return to Malay in mid October 1931.

On 14th September 1932 Christopher married Constance Mary (Molly), the daughter of Mr & Mrs Cecil Knight of Edmund Avenue, Unley, SA. They were married at All Saints’ Church, Taiping, Malaya.

In late November 1934, Mollie returned to Australia for the first time since her marriage. She stayed with her mother at Unley. On the 10th January 1935 she sailed on the Oronsay to Colombo where she was joined by her husband. The couple arrived in London on 14 February 1935 and their address in the UK was to be 55-61 Moorgate, E.C.2. They then travelled in England, Ireland, Scotland and Italy before returning to their home in Malaya.

Mollie and daughter Sally were in Adelaide in August 1937.

The family arrived in Southampton, England on 6 June 1938 aboard the ‘Christiaan Huygens’, having departed Batavia, Indonesia. On board were Christopher Stephen, Constance Mary and Sally Rosemary. They then travelled to Australia arrived in Fremantle on 13 Sep 1938 aboard the ‘Ormonde’, having departed from London. They gave their address as Mrs Kneebone’s parent’s house in Unley. While back in South Australia Christopher and Molly travelled to Mount Gambier and stayed at the Len’s Hotel in October.

In June 1939 Christopher was described in a newspaper article on well known people who attended the School of Mines as general manager Kuala Lumpur Mines, Federated Malay States.

World War II

Christopher and Molly moved from Taiping to Kuala Lumpur in 1940. Christopher was said to still be in the Malay States in January 1941. The Japanese commenced a build up of troops on the Malaya border in November 1941 and by February 1942 they were in control of the entire Malaya Peninsula and the island of Singapore.

Christopher and Molly were among the people evacuated to Australia, they arrived in Fremantle on 20 December 1941 aboard the ‘Gorgon’, having departed from Singapore.

The 1943 electoral rolls record the couple residing at 24 Northgate Street, Unley Park. Christopher and Molly’s son, Richard, was born in South Australia on February 5th 1944. Christopher held shares in Tableland Tin Dredging NL, the share certificated were lost in Malaya through enemy action and were replaced by the company in late July 1945.

Post World War II

After the war Christopher returned to the Malayan Peninsula, however Molly and the Kneebone children appear to have remained in South Australia. Sally attended Walford Anglican School for Girls from at least 1945 (Form II) until 1953.

Molly’s father, Cecil died at her residence at 24 Northgate St, Unley Park on 16 July 1947. In late October 1949, Mrs. C. S. Kneebone, with her children, Sally and Richard, left in the ‘Nieuw Holland’ for Singapore, to join her husband at Kuala Lumpur. Molly and the children returned from Malaya in late January 1950 after spending Christmas at Kuala Lumpur.

Retirement

Christopher retired from Anglo Malaya Oriental in September 1951 and returned from Kuala Lumpur, Malaya aboard the ‘Charon’ which departed from Singapore. Molly flew from Adelaide to Perth to meet him on his journey home to Unley Park.

Christopher and Mollie appeared frequently in the social pages attending parties and dances. In June 1954, Christopher and Mollie held a party for their daughter, Sally, at the South Australian Hotel. In April 1954 Christopher attended a St Peter’s College Old Collegiate event in the Adelaide Hills.

Death

Christopher Stephen Kneebone died on the 12th October 1969; his last abode was at Wattle Park, SA. His ashes are interred in the Derrick Gardens of Remembrance, Centennial Park, SA. Constance Mary Kneebone died on the 21st March 2005; her last abode was in North Adelaide

Author EE (Beth) Filmer

For the complete profile including photographs, newspaper articles, documents and sources prepared for the AUFC/AUCC WWI Memorial Project please see the document attached.