Francis's Story.
Frank Knowles was born in Knutsford in 1896, one of eight children born to Rickard (a farmer) and Elizabeth of Shaw Heath, Knutsford. Frank worked with his father on the farm.
His service record no longer exists but we know he enlisted sometime after 1915, becoming Rifleman no. 4920 in the 16th Battalion of the London Regiment.
Frank was killed in action on the 10th September 1916.
On that fateful day:
The Battalion went into action on the 9th September 1916, attacking from their trenches 500 yards N.E. of Faviere Wood, going N. and E of Leuze Wood and N. into Bouleaux Wood.
The war diary takes up the story:
˜10.9.16
1am
Orders were received from Brigade that the enemy trench on the S.E. side of the wood must be taken by dawn.
The night was very dark and the enemy were pouring heavy shells into the wood without cessation and the position from which to attack this trench as well as the exact bearing of the trench and its distance from the wood was unknown the maps being known not to be accurate. The was also no communication except by Runner, which took over an hour each way, with Brigade, and it was impossible to arrange an earlier hour that (sic) 7am for the attack.
D Company closed on its left and C Company was formed on the right of D, each attacking in ways of platoons in line. D Companys leading platoon was ordered to swing to its left to attack the sunken road trench on the N. side of COMBNES LEUZE WOOD road and half the H.Q. Bombers were given to O.C. D Company for the purpose of helping in the attack on this trench. 2/Lt Johnson and a patrol from C Company reconnoitred the direction of the attack for C Companys attack.
The casualties during the night were heavy 2/Lt Apergis and Johnson being killed or wounded and some 40 O.R. of C and D; being killed or wounded.
I received at 6.50 am a message from Brigade that the artillery barrage had been arranged. A thick mist had come on since 3 am which was still on at 7 am, so that you could not see more than 40 or 50 yards, and all promised well but telephone communication from the brigade to the artillery had broken down and the right part of the barrage was never given, in fact there was hardly any at all.
- am
The two companies went across and got nearly to their objectives they were held up principally by rifle and M.G. fire from the trench they were attacking & M.G. from the sunken road on the north. The trench was found to be strongly held and Capt.s Green and Griselle were obliged to withdraw the remnants of their companies some 25 all ranks of each company B Company pushing a platoon up to the sap leading from the centre of the wood to the S.E. to guard that flank in case of counter attack.
12.30 pm
In the middle of the day, the Brigadier came up to the road and ordered a bombing attack on this sap to be made in the last effort to take the enemys trench. For this purpose A Company 2nd Londons, who were also on the east side of the wood, was put under my command, as well as the two Stokes-Mortars.
3 pm
The bombing attack started the 2nd Londons, who were already in our end of this sap being ordered to clear this sap and its junction with the enemy trench, which was the main objective, from which point the Westminsters were to carry on with the capture of the main trench the attack being made by the remaining men of the H.Q. bombers supported by B and A Companies an artillery barrage working up and along the trench at the rate of 30 yards a minute, was arranged and was given, but it was not successful in keeping the enemys rifle fire down.
The 2nd London pretty well made their objective when Capt. Long was killed and the rest came back bringing our men with them and Lieut. Webb was unable tyo stop the retirement. The losses in B Company were heavy both in the attack and in the retirement and our casualties during the night of the 9th/10th and during this day were:
Officers 4 killed, 4 wounded.
O.R. 52 killed 166 wounded 80 missing.
From start to finish we had, as it turned out, no chance. Ordered to attack from a wood we had never been in before on a black dark night and on to a position were unable to properly locate and then owing to the breakdown in communication, launched in the morning to the attack without the artillery barrage. And again after some 14 hours exceedingly heavy shelling being sent to it again to bomb up a trench, which as a trench, hardly existed, with hardly any trained bombers to lead the attack, it is no wonder that both the attacks failed, especially as we know, as we learnt later the strength of the sunken road trench from which the enemy were able to bring so heavy a cross machine gun fire on both out attacks.
The remains of B, C; and D were re-organised and lined the eastern edge of the wood till the evening when the brigade was relieved by the 5th Division and the battalion returned to the CITADEL."
Researched and compiled by Tony Davies