21st August 1900, Van Wyk's Vlei
He was born in Yeovil on 5th November 1878 and enlisted as a band boy under the name of Henry James Knight, at the age of 14 in The King's Liverpool Regiment.
He was awarded the Victoria Cross for services in South Africa [London Gazette, 4 January 1901]: "H J [sic] Knight, Corporal, 1st Battalion The Liverpool Regiment, No 1 Company, 4th Division, Mounted Infantry. On the 21st August during the operations near Van Wyk's Vlei, Corporal Knight was posted in some rocks with four men, covering the right rear of a detachment of the same company, who, under Captain Ewart, were holding the right of the line. The enemy, about fifty strong, attacked Captain Ewart's right and almost surrounded, at short range, Corporal Knight's small party. That non-commissioned officer held his ground, directing his party to retire one by one to better cover, while he maintained his position for nearly an hour, covering the withdrawal of Captain Ewart's force, and losing two of his four men. He then retired, bringing with him two wounded men. One of these he left in a place of safety, the other he carried for nearly two miles. The party were hotly engaged during the whole time". He was presented with his VC at Pretoria on 8th June 1902 by General Lord Kitchener and was later promoted Colour Sergeant.
After 19 years service he retired from the regiment but following the outbreak of the Great War he enlisted on 25 August in the 11th (Empire Battalion) Royal Fusiliers, later renumbered 17th Royal Fusiliers, and was rapidly promoted Regimental Sergeant Major. In January 1915 he was commissioned as temporary Lieutenant in the 20th Battalion Manchester regiment being promoted temporary Captain May 1915. He relinquished this commission in October 1915 and then re-enlisted the following month as a Private under the name of James Huntley Knight in the London Scottish Regt. He was promoted to Lance Corporal and then Corporal before being wounded at Gommecourt in the Somme on 26th June 1916. He was discharged from the army on 15th March 1917.
He spent the remainder of his life in his wife's home village of Milbourne St Andrew in Dorset. He was a friend of T E Lawrence who lived near by, and was actively involved with the local British Legion.
He died on 24th November 1955 and his medals were later presented to The Kings Regt for safe keeping.
There is a memorial to him in the church yard at Milbourne St Andrew.
