Died aged 24. 1893 – 3 Oct 1916
Private 18984 Somerset Light Infantry 8th Service Battalion (K3) Somerset Light Infantry (63rd Infantry Brigade 37th Division). 8th Bn. Attd. 1st Bn. Wiltshire Regiment (CWGC).
Leslie was born in Newton St Cyres, Devon, around 1893. I have a birth certificate of a Leslie James Knowles which says he was born on 12 Jan 1893 in Newton St Cyres, son of Ellen Mary Knowles, a domestic servant. His birth was registered by his grandmother Maria Knowles of Newton St Cyres. No father’s name is on the certificate, although the Commonwealth War Graves Commission gives his father as James Knowles.
Leslie appears in the 1901 census, aged 8, living in Newton St. Cyres, Devon with his mother Florence Knowles (24) and her mother Maria Knowles (68, a shopkeeper). His mother’s name is different to that on the birth certificate, but I believe it is him as his name, approximate year of birth and grandmother’s name all match the details on the birth certificate.
At the time of the 1911 census Leslie, then aged 18, was working as a Page Boy, living at The Stables, Stowford House, Chittlehampton, Umberleigh, Devon.
Leslie joined the army as a Private in Taunton and was allocated service number 18984, serving with the Somerset Light Infantry 8th Service Battalion (K3), the same battalion as Ewin Court. This battalion was formed in Taunton in October 1914 as part of Kitchener’s Third Army, and went to France, landing in Le Havre on 10th September 1915. The soldiers took part in lengthy marches. The battalion saw action as part of the British assault at Loos on the 26th September; the division suffered over 3,800 casualties. In 1916 they were in action at The Battle of the Somme.
Leslie married Evelyn May Shattock on the 21st of August 1915 in Norton Fitzwarren, near Taunton. Both were aged 22. Leslie was a soldier living at Crown Hill, Plymouth, and Evelyn was a domestic servant living at Norton Fitzwarren. The space for Leslie’s father’s name on the marriage certificate is blank. Evelyn was the daughter of Charles Shattock (deceased), a labourer.
Leslie was killed in action aged 24 on 3 Oct 1916 during the closing stages of the battle of the Somme.
Leslie’s will leaves “the whole of what I possess to my wife Evelyn May Knowles, 2 Laburnum Cottage, Norton Fitzwarren.” CWGC describes him as being the son of James Knowles, of St. Sidwell, Exeter; husband of Evelyn May Knowles, of Laburnum Cottage, Norton Fitzwarren, Taunton, Somerset. I have not yet discovered Leslie’s connection to Dunster; perhaps one of his ancestors or other relatives lived there.
He is commemorated on Pier and Face 2 A of the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme in France (Find a Grave has a photo), and the plaque on Dunster Memorial Hall, but not on the plaque in St George’s Church, Dunster. This may be because the church plaque commemorates only those who worshiped there, or it may be that as the plaque on the Memorial Hall was installed later (after WW2) that by that time relatives of Leslie were perhaps living in Dunster and put his name forward for inclusion on the Memorial Hall plaque.
