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WORLD WAR ONE

The Men Who Died

WORLD WAR ONE

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Michael was born in Brecon in 1886 to Michael and Annie Knight. His father was born in Ireland and was a serving soldier with the South Wales Borderers. Michael's parents were married in Brecon in 1884 and his younger sister Janie was born in the town in 1890. The family were living at Brecon Barracks in 1891.

By 1901 the 14 year old Michael was working as a porter and staying with the Clarke family at 71, The Watton, Brecon, but ten years later, in 1911, Michael is a boarder in Swansea working as a cutter. He is lodging with Mr David Griffiths, a dock labourer, and his family, along with four other cutters.

Michael enlisted in Newport in 1914 and was initially with the South Wales Borderers, but later transferred to the Royal Army Medical Corps working with a field ambulance unit.

He entered the Western Front in August 1914.

Private George Thomas Knowles

South Wales Borderers, 2nd Battalion, service no. 11261

Killed in action at Gallipoli on June 11th, 1915, aged 21

Commemorated st the Helles Memorial, Turkey

Private Michael Knight

Royal Army Medical Corps, 27th Field Ambulance no. 2962

Formerly South Wales Borderers 8486

Killed in Action 25th April 1918, aged 32

Commemorated at Tyne Cot Memorial, Zonnebeke, West

Flanders, Belgium

George was one of eleven children of whom seven were alive in 1911.

Frank had previously served in the military and rejoined as a reservist, serving in Pembroke.

George enlisted in Tonypandy at the outbreak of the war in 1914 and joined the South Wales Borderers, entering France in November of that year, although he was later wounded and invalided home with frostbite. He later went to the Dardanelles, Turkey to fight in the Gallipoli campaign and was initially reported missing in early July 1915, but was subsequently confirmed as killed in action. In January 1916, before his death had been confirmed, George’s mother received a letter from a soldier attached to the Essex Regiment

George was born in Brecon in 1893, the son of Frank and Charlotte Ann Knowles, and lived at 18, Pendre, Brecon. His father Frank worked as a gardener. By 1901 the family had

moved to Penlan Lodge in The Struet and George attended Pendre School. Ten years later they were living at 64, The Watton with father, Frank, now working as a groundsman for the Brecon Sports Club, and George was working as a bricklayer’s labourer at this time.