Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Little is known about Alexander’s early life other than he attended St Peter's College  between 1885 and 1891 and while there proved to be an excellent artist. Since Guy Wylly’s first year at the School was 1895, it seems unlikely the two would have met. When they gained their commissions in the British Army in 1900, Knox was a civilian and Wylly having then not been awarded the VC would not have drawn much attention.

Knox was stationed in Northern Nigeria for some time where he commanded a unit made up entirely of indigenous soldiers; he was later stationed at Nasirabad, India.

Captain Knox was in command of D Company on the right flank at Le Pilly when seriously wounded on 19 October 1914. Three hours after the Germans had taken the position no one had seen or heard anything more of him.

Throughout the war, whenever a man wrote a particularly interesting letter back home, especially one in which he mentioned old school friends, his letter, or an excerpt from it appeared in the local newspapers or the St Peter's School Magazine.

In a letter published in the December 1914 a friend paid tribute to Knox as both a man and soldier.

If his old friends want to hear a good story typical of his subtle Irish humour they should get Charley Hargrave to tell them the story of the steamer struck by lightning while ‘Paddy’ Knox and some fellow officers were voyaging on one of the African rivers. The School will have no keener, no braver, nor one more widely esteemed than Major Knox on its Roll of Honour. [i]

Letters from Sergeant Williams and Sergeant Major Heaton stated Captain Knox was ‘killed on coming out of a trench, presumably with the intention of giving instructions to Sergeant Williams.’ [ii]

Captain Alexander William Knox is remembered with honour on the Memorial at the east end of Le Touret Military Cemetery, France.

[i] St Peter’s School Magazine - W K Thomas & Co, Adelaide, December 1914, p. 42
[ii] The Advertise, Adelaide, South Australia, 10 May 1916, p. 10