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Canadian Virtual War Memorial

William Graham Knowles

In memory of:

Lance Corporal William Graham Knowles

April 9, 1917

Military Service


Service Number:

219949

Age:

21

Force:

Army

Unit:

Canadian Infantry (Central Ontario Regiment)

Division:

102nd Bn.

Additional Information


Born:

August 1, 1895
Hopetown, Ontario

Enlistment:

October 22, 1915
Barriefield, Ontario

Son of Mr. and Mrs. Hugh Knowles. The family later moved to Merrickville. He was a Tinsmith. He had seven months previous service with the Home Guard (56th Regiment) at Iroquois, Ontario.

Prior to shipping out, he was met by his brother Private Hugh Lloyd, who came to wish him well. He instead joined William and went overseas.

On arrival they were transferred to the 102nd Battalion, serving together until their deaths, sadly on the same day, at the Battle of Vimy Ridge. Information courtesy of Merrickville Memorial Project, May 2002.

Commemorated on Page 270 of the First World War Book of Remembrance. Request a copy of this page. Download high resolution copy of this page.

Burial Information


Cemetery:

GIVENCHY ROAD CANADIAN CEMETERY
Pas de Calais, France

Grave Reference:

A. 18.

Location:

The Givenchy Road Canadian Cemetery at Neuville-St Vaast is a small cemetery situated in the compound of the Vimy Memorial Park which contains the Vimy Memorial. The village of Neuville-St Vaast is in the Department of the Pas-de-Calais, approximately 8 kilometres north of Arras on the N17 towards Lens. The cemetery is approximately 260 metres past Canadian Cemetery No.2 following the one-way system to rejoin the avenue leading back to the main road. The cemetery contains the graves of soldiers all of whom fell on the 9th April, 1917, or on one of the four following days. The cemetery covers an area of 849 square metres and is enclosed by a rubble wall. The numerous groups of graves made about this time by the Canadian Corps Burial Officer were, as a rule, not named but serially lettered and numbered. This cemetery was originally called CD 1.

Information courtesy of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

Digital Collection

Send us your images

  • Memorial– Remembering brothers lost … Brothers In Arms Memorial, Zonnebeke, BE … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens … May 2022
  • Newspaper clipping– From the Lanark Era c. 1917. Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me
  • Merrickville Remembers– This project was sponsored jointly by the Canadian Legion Branch 245 and the Merrickville District Community Health Centre.  Serving on the Committee were Jack Jessop, Past President of Legion Branch 245;  Joyce McKay, who lost a brother in the Second World War;  Peter McKenna, Executive Director of Merrickville and District Community Health Centre;  and Jack Wilcox, who upon discharge from the Canadian Army in 1945, prepared the Sydney Academy Memorial Booklet honouring the students of the Academy who gave their lives in the Second World War.
  • Memorial Page– William Graham Knowles is honoured on page 18 of the Merrickville Remembers booklet, published in January 2003.
  • War Memorial– Memorial at Perth and District Collegiate Institute in honour of former students who participated in the Great War.
  • Newspaper Clipping– Photo from The Lanark Era.
  • Newspaper Clipping– From the Perth Courier for 4 May 1917.
  • Newspaper Clipping– Perth Courier clipping
  • Grave Marker– The grave marker at the Givenchy Road Canadian Cemetery located on the grounds of the Vimy Memorial Park on Vimy Ridge, just outside of Neuville-St Vaast, France. May he rest in peace. (J. Stephens)
  • Givenchy Road Canadian Cemetery– The Givenchy Road Canadian Cemetery, located on the grounds of the Vimy Memorial Park on Vimy Ridge, just outside of Neuville-St Vaast, France.(J. Stephens)

Learn more about the Canadian Virtual War Memorial

To learn more please visit our help page. If you have questions or comments regarding the information contained in this registry, email or call us. For inquiries regarding the names and information found in the RCMP Honour Roll, please email the RCMP.

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