Knights, Wilfred Henry Ethelbert MM
Wilfred was born at Barley, Hertfordshire on 4 May 1894. It is not known who his parents were. The 1901 census shows him living in Ashwell Hertfordshire with Annie Tyrrell and her daughter Jessie. Wilfred was a pupil at the Merchant Taylors School in Ashwell.
Wilfred enlisted with the 1st Bedfordshire Regiment, Regimental Number 6800 on 9 August 1914. He was embarked to the Western Front, France and Flanders on 13 May 1915. Wilfred transferred to the Machine Gun Corps, Regimental Number 16776, and in 1917 was awarded the Military Medal for acts of gallantry and devotion to duty under fire. He survived the War and was discharged on 4 July 1918 as no longer fit for service.
Wilfred was awarded the 1914/15 Star, the British War Medal, the Victory Medal, the Silver War Badge and the Military Medal. All of Wilfred’s medals are held by the Ashwell Museum.
He is commemorated on the St Mary’s Church Ashwell Roll of Honour.
Wilfred married Hilda Sarah Beatrice Hales in Ashwell in the 2nd quarter 1919. They lived in Back Street, Ashwell until Hilda died on 15 June 1944. It is not known if they had children.
The 1939 census shows them living in Ashwell with Wilfred a horseman on a farm and a special constable.
Wilfred died at Western House Hospital, Ware, Hertfordshire on 28 June 1969.
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