A rededication service for Second Lieutenant William Bernard Knight, Nort Staffordshire Regiment, attd. 1^st Bedfordshire Regiment, took place on Thursday 22 May 2025 and this on Oosttaverne Wood Cemetery at Wijtschate. The service was conducted by Reverend Garry Birch CF, Senior Chaplain Headquarters South West.

William Bernard Knight was born in Hanwell, Middlesex in July 1887 to Thomas Joseph Knight and his wife Margaret. William was the second of four children, and the only son - having an older sister called Margaret and two younger sisters, Dora and Isabel.

William had been in the Officer Training Corps of the Inns of Court prior to the outbreak of World War One, and so in August 1914 he joined the 4^th Battalion of the Nort Staffordshire Regiment as a Second Lieutenant.

The War Diary of the 1^st Bn Bedfordshire Regiment records that 2Lt Knight was one of four 2Lts to join them for duty on 25 March 1915 - at this stage they were in Ypres and rotating in and out of the frontline trenches.

Following a few days in the support trenches near Ypres in early April, the battalion were unexpectedly relieved and moved back into reserves at Reninghelst. On 11 April they took over trenches opposite Hill 60 - to the south of Ypres - ready for a campaign to capture the hill. The next few days were attack and counter-attack throughout the day and night as each side tried to consolidate their position before trying to gain new ground. The casulaties on both sides were considerable, and included 2Lt Knight who was listed as missing - presumed to have died on 21 April 1915.

In April 1924 the remains of an unknown officer of the North Staffordshire Regiment were recovered from a location on Hill 60. At the time his officer status and regimental affiliation were established from his uniform badges and buttons, but he was carrying nothing which could fully identify him so he was buried as an Unkwon Officer of the North Staffordshire Regiment at Oosttaverne Wood Cemetery. 

Recently extensive research by several parties has revealed that 2Lt Knight is the only man missing in this part of Belgium who could possibly match the description of the unknown officer. Finally, after 110 years we know the final resting place of 2Lt Knight and are able to reunite his physical remains with his name. And his grave was rededicated accordingly. 















Reading by Reverend Richard Clement



Reading by Sergeant Dominic Masters, 1^st Bn, The Mercian Regiment







The Exhortation by Sergeant Martin Kelsall, 1^st Bn, The Mercian Regiment.









The Last Post by Cpl Jason Pickin, The Band of the Mercian Regiment.



Handing over of the flag to the family. 





















Researcher Michiel Vanmarcke.





The Collect of the North Staffordshire Regiment by Peter Gresty, The Mercian Regiment Association.









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