Shot at Dawn.

Quote:

Originally Posted by A T Marshall

15437 Pte. C W Knight 10 RWF. aged 28. from London was executed for murder on the 15 November 1915. his was the fourth and final case of murder of 1915. He was tried by a Field GCM rather than a GCM. His unit had only landed in France 5 weeks previously. On the 3rd of November, Pte. Knight who was drunk, opened fire indiscriminately killing Pte. Edwards, and wounding 1 other man. He was arrested by CSM Fisher, tried on the 6th of November and shot 9 days later..

Further to Alex's excellent post above :

Further details of the victims of Pte William Charles Knight crime.

15461 Pte Alfred Edwards was the son of Elizabeth Samuels (formerly Edwards), and Edward Samuels (stepfather), of Stone Cottages, Avongoch, Ruabon, Denbighshire. He was born in Rhos, Denbigh and resided in Hafod.

He was aged 22 when he was killed by Knight - He was laid to rest in Eecke Churchyard. Eecke (Eeke) is a small village 4 kilometres south of Steenvoorde in the Department of the Nord between Cassel, Hazebrouck, Armentieres and the Belgian border.

The wounded soldier was 24637 Pte Alfred Bernard Poffley from Reading. Both he and Pte Edwards were from C Coy. Poffley received a gunshot wound to the right thigh which saw him evacuated to the UK, and admission to Huddersfield Military Hospital.

He had recovered from his wound sufficiently to join the 62nd Training Reserve on the 1st September 1916, and was later posted to the 24th Bn with a new number of 345789 and saw service in Egypt with the battalion, embarking on the 2nd March 1917. He was hospitalised in Cairo and later joined the Labour Corps.