SAPPER WILLIAM McKNOE
4418 – 3rd Tunnelling Company
William Thomas McKnoe was born in Newcastle, Western Australia in 1882 the son of Thomas Henry and Ellen (nee Withnall) McKnoe with his birth registered at Toodyay, W.A. He became a woodcutter and for sport competed in wood chopping events around the Kalgoorlie district, W.A. which were reported in the:
One of his work horses went missing and the following advertisement was placed in the:
In 1903 he was registered at Lakeside, Kalgoorlie with the occupation of woodcutter and in 1906 at Smithfield with the same occupation. A year later another advertisement for the Local Court House appeared in the:
At the recruiting depot at Blackboy Hill camp, near Perth, W.A. on February 21, 1916 the thirty-seven year old applied to enlist for active service abroad and passed the preliminary medical examination. Attestation Forms were completed which describe him as 182cms (6ft) tall, weighing 74.5kgs (164lbs) with a chest expansion of 86-94cms (34-37ins). Ruddy described his complexion with blue eyes testing to fair vision and brown hair. Roman Catholic was his religious faith. Next-of-kin nominated was his mother Ellen McKnoe of 377 Hay Street, Kalgoorlie, W.A. He signed and took the ‘Enlistment Oath’ the same day. The next medical examination was passed at Kalgoorlie on January 28, 1916 at the Area 84A Goldfields Senior Cadets Depot.
Acknowledgement to the departing volunteers was published in the:
Basic training commenced as a Private in Area 3 of Blackboy Hill camp until moved to the 52 Depot Battalion on March 3 for final training.
Recruiting for the No. 6 Tunnelling Company commenced on March 7, 1916 by Captain Lawson and his four officers. Instruction classes were formed of officers and N.C.O.’s as there was insufficient time to attend the Engineer’s School in Sydney.
Recruits were forthcoming in abundant numbers and the aim was to have good physical types of skilled W.A. Miners and on March 10 Sapper McKnoe was allotted to the company with the regimental number 4418.
At Blackboy Hill camp the new company paraded daily with sister companies until March 27 when the Company moved camp to Belmont camp where four sections were created and training continued through April and May.
The remainder of May was occupied in the usual training: musketry, trench work and night work while equipment and clothing issue was also in progress. Here a difficulty was met in that the general size of the men was considerably above the average and some little trouble was experienced in getting all accurately fitted.
The Company marched through Perth’s city streets and the parade reported in the local newspapers:
Early in May, 1916 the No.4 Tunnelling Company consisting of six officers and 152 other ranks together with the 1st Reinforcements of fifteen other ranks making up two sections, embarked from Brisbane, Qld aboard HMAT A69 Warilda for Sydney, NSW.
At Rosebery Park, Sydney, NSW they joined their Headquarters and two sections (8 officers & 153 O.Rs.) plus 1st Reinforcements consisting of one officer and seventeen other ranks for final training.
The 7713-ton transport Warilda departed Sydney, NSW on May 22, 1916 and collected in Melbourne, Victoria the No. 5 Company recruited from Victoria, South Aust. & Tasmania made up of Headquarters and 2 Sections (8 officers & 173 men) (3 M.D.).
One Section from Tasmania (3 officers & 76 O.Rs); also 1st Reinforcements for No. 5 Company (17 men from Vic. & 8 men Tas.) The ship departed on May 25, 1916 for Adelaide, S.A. to collect one Section of 3 officers & 76 O.Rs with 1st Reinforcements of 8 O.Rs.
The No.6 Company paraded through the city of Perth where the fine physique of the men, who marched with arms bare to the elbow excited universal admiration.
The transport arrived in port at Fremantle, W.A. on June 1, 1916. The whole company consisting of 14 officers and 325 O.Rs along with 1st Reinforcements of 1 officer and 32 O.Rs entrained at Belmont at 2 p.m., every man physically fit being present and boarded Warilda which left the harbour the same evening.
Durban, South Africa was reached on June 16, 1916 and Cape Town on June 21, 1916 while St Vincent completed the African ports of call on July 7, 1916. Discipline was fairly good except at intermediate ports where Away without Leave caused concern.
The fifty-eight day voyage experienced remarkably pleasant weather terminating at Plymouth, England on July 18, 1916. Four, Five and Six Companies comprising of 1064 officers and other ranks were detrained to Amesbury and Tidworth to begin training for the front at Perham Downs.
The Reinforcements proceeded to France on August 28, 1916 marching into the 2nd Aust Divisional Base Depot two days later. They marched out to join the 3rd Tunnelling Company in the field on September 25 and taken on strength on September 30, 1916.
On November 27, 1916 Sapper McKnoe was wounded in action suffering the effects of mine gas. The following is the extract from the Unit War Diary’s location and entry for that day:
Sapper was taken to the 72nd Field Ambulance the next day and returned to duty on December 10, 1916.
Base Records sent a Telegram to his mother advising of his wounding as follows:
On January 12, 1917 Eva McKnoe sent the following Telegram to Base Records:
Base Records replied to the Telegram on January 13, 1917 by letter stating that the cable received contained no particulars and his condition not serious therefore in the absence of further reports it may be assumed he is progressing satisfactorily. Records did not know the name of the hospital and gave the address where letters should reach him safely stating to mark WOUNDED legibly in red ink.
He went sick to the 73rd Field Ambulance on April 16, 1917 with Mumps and transferred the next day to the 7th General Hospital in St Omer. On May 5 he was discharged to his unit and arrived the next day.
Two Blue Chevrons were issued on June 1, 1917 to wear on his uniform for serving twelve months overseas. Each blue Service Chevron denoted one year’s service from 1 January 1915. A red Chevron denoted service before 31 December 1914.
Leave was granted from March 3, 1918 but cancelled.
On June 25, 1918 he went sick to the 34th Ambulance with P.U.O. (Pyrexia (fever) uncertain origin) and transferred to the 1st Canadian Casualty Clearing Station. The next day was conveyed on A.T.3 to the 4th General Hospital and after being a patient there was released on July 5 and rejoined his unit a day later.
Leave was granted from September 30 until October 18, 1918.
He was with his unit when Peace was declared and the Tunnelling Companies remained on the front as part of the Army of Occupation assisting with the rehabilitation of road and bridges and defusing booby traps left by the enemy.
Orders were received to prepare for repatriation to England on March 27, 1919 and they left the Aust Infantry Base Depot on April 2, 1919 and crossed the English Channel marching into No.3 Group camp in Codford the next day.
Sapper McKnoe, after being demobilised embarked for Australia on board H.T. Somali on June 1, 1919. Base Records advised his mother on June 19 that he was returning home. The ship docked in Fremantle, W.A. (5th Military District) on July 8, 1919.
He appeared before the Disembarkation Medical Board at No. 8 Aust General Hospital, Fremantle where he declared he had no wounds or injury and had Trench Fever requiring three weeks off duty and gassed caused six weeks away of service. His present condition was given as “not too bad – occasional colds” and he signed this agreement. Confirmation of the Board’s results was dated July 17, 1919.
Military Discharge was issued in Perth (5th M.D.) on August 22, 1919 on termination of his period of enlistment.
A few weeks later the following advertisement was placed in the:
The British War Medal (11202) and the Victory Medal (11071) were issued to Sapper 4418 William McKnoe, 3rd Tunnelling Company for service to his country.
In 1925 he is listed at Goongarrie, W.A. and a sandalwood contractor. By the end of the year he was in Port Augusta, South Australia to set up the sandalwood industry. In 1928 he arrived in Queensland to commence business there. The following goods were listed as being exported in the:
Family History records that William and Elizabeth Herold Perry had a child on December 3, 1929 named Pamela Winton McKnoe and Elizabeth was known as Mrs McKnoe.
In 1930 he was registered as a timber-getter residing at Vindex Street, Winton and Mrs McKnoe was registered residing a year later at Elderslie Street, Winton.
William McKnoe died in an aeroplane accident on October 3, 1934 aged 54 years. The following are newspaper articles reporting of the search for the plane published in:
An Obituary was published in Port Augusta, S.A. as he lived and started an industry there in the mid-1920’s and appeared in the:
The following social item appeared in:
The Coroner’s Report into the accident was printed in:
Twelve years after his untimely death, officials were looking to trace him as there was unclaimed money in his name and the following example was advertised in:
Mrs E. McKnoe continued to reside in Roma, Qld.
William’s grave is located in the RSL portion of Winton Cemetery in plot no. 9.
His brother also served in WW1.
PRIVATE GEORGE EDWARD McKNOE
822 – 44th Infantry Battalion
George enlisted on 28 January 1916, naming his mother, Ellen McKnoe as his Next-of-Kin.
A labourer by trade, he was 21 years and 11 months of age, 5ft 7ins tall, weighed 154 pounds, had a fair complexion, hazel eyes and brown hair.
A medical examination in Kalgoorlie on 30 January had found him ‘fit for active service’ and he signed the Oath at Blackboy Hill, Perth on 21 February 1916.
He was appointed to the 1st Reinforcements, 44th Battalion on 11 May and embarked at Fremantle on board HMAT A29 Suevic on 6 June 1916, disembarking at Plymouth on 21 July. He proceeded overseas to France on 25 November 1916.
George was wounded in action on 9 June 1917, receiving a gunshot wound to the left hand. He was treated at 9th Australian Field Ambulance and a Casualty Clearing Station before being admitted to the 6th General Hospital at Rouen.
He was evacuated to England on 16 June and treatment continued at the 1st London General Hospital and the 1st Australian Auxiliary Hospital until he was discharged to furlough on 30 August 1917.
George never returned to France. He spent some time in hospital and his conduct cost him several days loss of pay and a fair amount of time on Field Punishment before eventually seeing him serve 30 days in Lewes Detention Barracks, Parkhouse.
George returned to Australia on board Saxon, disembarking at Fremantle on 20 January 1919. Discharged from the A.I.F. on 3 April 1919, he was entitled to wear the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.
His medical and service records were provided to the Repatriation Commission, Perth, in December 1932.
George died in Perth on 25 December 1946 aged 51 years.
He was buried at Karrakatta Cemetery in the Roman Catholic portion, Section SC, grave 0451.
© Donna Baldey 2015