Brother / Second Lieutenant John Knox MC and Bar, 15th Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles.

Brother John Knox, son of Robert Knox Esq, Tierkelly, Rathfriland was proposed for membership of Lodge 23 on 19th August 1907 and received the Entered Apprentice Degree a week later on Monday 26th August. Subsequently he was raised to the Fellowcraft Degree on the 26th August and received his Master Mason Degree on the 20th July 1908.  

2nd lieut John Knox MC

 



He enlisted as a Private in the North Irish Horse, Service No. 2166, and moved to the 1st Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles, Service No. 1/40887.
 

 

Newspaper arcticle

It was announced in London Gazette Supplement dated 18th February 1918 that he was awarded the Military Cross. A Bar was added to his Military Cross in November with the following citation:

 
NOrth irish Horse
"T./2ND LT. JOHN KNOX, M.C., R. IRISH RIF. FOR CONSPICUOUS GALLANTRY DURING AN ATTACK. HAVING REACHED HIS FINAL OBJECTIVE, HE FOUND THE PLATOON ON HIS RIGHT HELD UP. HE AT ONCE LED AN ATTACK ON THE POINT, AND CAPTURED IT, TAKING A MACHINE GUN AND SIX PRISONERS. THEN HE WORKED ALONG FENCES, CLEARING OUT THREE ENEMY POSTS, AND ESTABLISHED TOUCH WITH THE DIVISION ON THE RIGHT. HE HANDLED HIS PLATOON WITH THE GREATEST SKILL, AND SHOWED FINE COURAGE AND COOLNESS UNDER DIFFICULT CONDITIONS."
         
Second Lieutenant Knox was seriously wounded and died of his wounds on the 23rd October 1918, aged 28. Tragically only twenty days before the ending of hostilities. He is buried at Terlincthun British Cemetery, Wimille, Pas de Calais, France, grave ref: VI.B.43.
         
Engraved on his headstone are the following words: " GONE FROM A WORLD OF SIN AND STRIFE, GONE TO A NEW AND BETTER LIFE "
         

 

 



Regimental Badge

   




MIlitary Cross






Cap Badge Medal Card   2nd LT. John Knox The Military Cross
 
 
MILITARY RECORD
 
Corps Regiment No
Rank
Royal Irish Rifles 1/40887 Private
North Irish Horse 2166 Private
Royal Irish Rifles   Second Lieutenant
 
MILITARY CROSS: Instituted in 1914, the Military Cross (MC) was issued for gallantry in presence of the enemy to warrant and junior officers of the Army who were ineligible (on account of their rank) for the Distinguished Service Order. A silver bar ornamented by the Crown would be issued to Military Cross holders who had carried out a further act of such gallantry which would have merited award of the MC.
 
DESIGN: It is an ornamental cross in silver, with straight arms terminating in broad finals ornamented with Imperial Crowns and the ribbon has a central stripe of deep purple flanked by equally sized stripes of white.
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