We are now in
the month leading up to Remembrance Sunday, a time of year when we remember all
those who have fought bravely and lost their lives in service to our country.
Like so many areas of the country, the North East has made a huge sacrifice
during wars and armed conflicts, and as Remembrance Sunday approaches I would
like to highlight some of the incredible stories of bravery and loss of
Northumbrians.
As you enter
into Heddon-on-the-wall you may have noticed the Knott Memorial Hall on your
left, but do you know the history behind the building? The Knott Memorial Hall
was given to the village of Heddon by Sir Thomas Garbutt Knott in memory of his
parents, Sir James and Lady Margaret Knott, whose lives were marked by tragedy
as a result of the First World War. Sir James and Lady Knott had three sons,
Thomas, James and Basil, who all served in WWI, however their two younger sons
were both killed in action. Captain Henry Basil Knott died in 1915 after being
fatally wounded by a bullet to the head, whilst Major James Leadbitter Knott
was killed during the first day of the Battle of the Somme on 1st
July 1916, making him one of 57,470 British casualties that day.
What makes
the brothers’ story so special is that although they were killed almost a year
apart and were buried around 70 miles away from each other, they were
eventually reunited and buried side by side in Ypres Reservoir Cemetery. This
was incredibly unusual as British serviceman were normally buried where they
died, suggesting that Sir James Knott must have used great pressure to reunite
his two sons. The two graves both carry the same inscription- “Devoted In Life.
In Death Not Divided.”
I am always
interested to learn more about Northumberland and its history. If you know of
any stories of local Northumbrians who have served our country, please do get
in touch and share them.
