Ronald Knights

A Private with the 1st Battalion, died on 4th of January 1917 at the age of 29. 

Ronald was born at Kessingland on 6 December 1887, a son of Samuel and Mary Knights. He was baptised at Saint Edmund’s Church, Kessingland, on 16 December 1887. In 1891 his family lived at Market Place, Kessingland, and by 1901 at Gladstone Cottages, London Road, Kessingland. They were still living at Gladstone Cottages in 1911 and Ronald was a house painter.  

Ronald enlisted in the Army at Bury St. Edmunds. He joined the Suffolk Regiment, service number 28752. He was transferred to the Bedfordshire Regiment, service number 40050, and posted to the 1st Battalion in France. 

On 1 January 1917 the 1st Battalion took over positions in the Cuinchy left subsector. On 4 January things were quite until 7 p.m. when a mine was exploded opposite Givenchy. The enemy retaliated with an artillery barrage on the battalion’s support trenches. This blew in one trench killing three men, including Ronald, and wounding seven others.