Regimental number | 1603 |
Place of birth | Melbourne, Victoria |
Religion | Church of England |
Occupation | School teacher |
Address | Wellington Mills, Western Australia |
Marital status | Single |
Age at embarkation | 21 |
Height | 5' 11" |
Weight | 161 lbs |
Next of kin | Father, Adolf Michael Knable, Wellington Mills via Dardanup, Western Australia |
Previous military service | Served for 2 years in the 86th Infantry, Citizen Military Forces. |
Enlistment date | |
Date of enlistment from Nominal Roll | |
Place of enlistment | Blackboy Hill, Western Australia |
Rank on enlistment | Private |
Unit name | 32nd Battalion, 1st Reinforcement |
AWM Embarkation Roll number | 23/49/2 |
Embarkation details | Unit embarked from Adelaide, South Australia, on board HMAT A2 Geelong on |
Rank from Nominal Roll | Private |
Unit from Nominal Roll | 32nd Battalion |
Fate | Killed in Action |
Place of burial | Pheasant Wood Military Cemetery (Plot II, Row E, Grave No 14), Frmelles, Pas de Calais, France |
Commemoration details | V.C. Corner (Panel No 5), Australian Cemetery Memorial, Fromelles, France |
Panel number, Roll of Honour, Australian War Memorial | 120 |
Other details |
War service: Egypt, Western Front Embarked Adelaide, 18 November 1915; disembarked Suez, 18 December 1915. Taken on strength, A Company, 32nd Bn, 16 February 1916; transferred to D Company, 1 March 1916. Embarked Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Force, 17 June 1916; disembarked Marseilles, France, 23 June 1916. Reported missing, 20 July 1916. German report, 2 August 1916: 'austr. Sold. Knable, A.T. Erk.Mrk. 1603, 32.Bn. am 19.7.16 in Gegen Fromelles gefallen.' Prisoner of War German List date 4 November 1916 received by Wounded & Missing Enquiry Bureau. Previously reported Prisoner of War; now reported Killed in Action. Death List from Germany. Red Cross File No 1530206, has eyewitness statement by 3144 Pte Leslie HASTWELL, 32nd Bn (patient, King Edward Hall Hospital, Church End, Finchley), [?] December 1916: 'Informant states that on July 20th, 1916 near Fleurbaix he saw Knable wounded in the face and hip, trying to crawl back to the trenches. They were retiring after the attack. Knable was in No Mans (sic) Land, and there was no chance of rescuing him. He must have been killed or taken prisoner.' Second statement, 1584 Corporal J.C.G. WARNCKEN, 32nd Bn (patient,No 2 General Hospital, Calais), 21 February 1917: 'At Fromelles on 19th July wemade a feint attack; we took the German first line and on the morning of the 20th we retired to our lines which we held. I was alongside of Knable and during the attack I saw him hit in the foot. He stayed with us and on our retirement between the first and second German line he was again hit under the arm by machine gun and fell. I had to get back to our line. He must have been either taken prisoner or killed as he was between the German lines.' Note on file: 'Disc sent from Capt. Mills 28.7.19. and forwarded to A.I.F. Hdq. Disc received from Germany and forwarded to next of kin.' Note on file: 'The above name appeared on German death list dated 4-11-16.' Medals: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal Father wrote to Base Records, 15 November 1921: 'can you inform me if my son is buried in the cemetery at Fleurbaix "Rue Petillion" (sic). It would be a great consolation to me if I could be sure of the fact. I would go and visit the grave.' |
Sources | NAA: B2455, KNABLE Adolf Thompson
Red Cross file 1530206 |