Family :

Education & Career :

Captain de Knoop, who was well known, and popular throughout Cheshire as a sportsman, and whose generosity won him the admiration of all who came in contact with him, was forty years of age.

He was born in Manchester, his father and grandfather being partners in the firm of merchants now known as De Jersey and Co., and himself became a director of the company, but he has lived in Cheshire practically ever since he left Oxford. It may be remembered that lived at Knutsford and Cuddington before taking up his residence at Calveley Hall.

He was educated at Eton and New College, distinguished himself as a lover of sport both school and university, and rowed for two years in the Varsity eight.

His love of sport was preserved throughout his life, and was he particularly fond of shooting and hunting. For many years he had been a prominent member of the Cheshire Hunt.

Service Life:

Campaigns:

• The First World War 1914-1918, World-wide.

Egypt was the base for the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force which was engaged in the region, primarily against the Turks. In the early stages of the war Egypt was threatened by Turkish advances towards Suez which were defeated and the Turks retreated to Palestine. Most of the effort of the MEF was thereafter directed towards operations in Palestine and Syria. Many of those buried and commemorated in Egypt succumbed to wounds, disease or were army victims of naval actions in the region.

Detail :

Kellys Directory 1910 lists him as owner of Calvely Hall Cheshire DAVID: 428 Lodge of Sincerity Year of Warrant 1835 Victoria Club, John Street, Northwich, Cheshire Captain John Julius Jersey de KNOOP Household Cavalry & Cavalry of the Line (incl. Yeomanry & Imperial Camel Corps) Cheshire Yeomanry 1st/1st Battalion

He was killed in action on the 7th August 1916, and his death was widely reported in the newspapers. One account is written for the Runcorn Guardian on the 1st September 1916.

"HOW CAPTAIN DE KNOOP WAS KILLED. SHOT BY A SNIPER. Letter which have arrived this wek from some of the Northwich boys who are in Egypt show that Captain de Knoop and another officer were both shot by a sniper as they were going into action. In each of the two letters from which we are able to give extracts-one from a Weaverham soldier, and the other from Private J. Arthur Goodman (of Winnington)- they refer to Major, and not Captain de Knoop, and it would suggest that he had been promoted to the rank of major. on being appointed to command the Camel Corps.

Private J. Arthur Goodman, who is son of Mr. W.H. Goodman, secretary of the Constitutional Club, and is in the signal service headquarters, writing to his parents on August 8th, the day following the death of the gallant officer, states:- "I am very sorry to say that we have just received a telegram at headquarters here announcing that Major de Knoop has been killed while leading a camel column during the recent action in the Suez district. I could hardly believe the news when I read the wire. What a dreadful shock it will be to Mrs. de Knoop. There has been very heavy fighting around [redacted], and we have been eating up the Turks fairly. Up to yesterday our captures amounted to 2,300 prisoners, four guns and four machine-guns. Glad to say that I am A1 at present. The Nile has risen several feet now."

Another local soldier in the Yeomanry, writing to his parents, says:- "I expect by the time you get this letter you will have had the sad news of Major de Knoop. He set out from here just over a week ago with the Camel Corps to meet the enemy out on the desert. I believe after two days' travelling they met the Turks, or a party of them, and engaged them. From what I hear they had a rather rough time of it, and Major de Knoop was killed by a sniper, and also another officer."

Probate DE KNOOP John Julius Jersey of Calverley Hall Tarporley Cheshire captain Cheshire Yeomanry attached Imperial Camel Corps died 7 August 1916 at Hod el Bahein Egypt killed in action Probate London 12 June to Evelyn Elizabeth de Knoop widow Ernest William Gromme merchant and Myles Fenton Davies solicitor. Effects £172670 14s. 9d.

He is buried in Kantara War Memorial Cemetery, Egypt Grave Reference E.59.

Masonic :

Shown as "killed in action 7th August 1916."

Source :

The project globally acknowledges the following as sources of information for research across the whole database:

• The Commonwealth War Graves Commission
• The (UK) National Archives
• Ancestry.co.uk - Genealogy, Family Trees & Family History online
• ugle.org.uk - The records of the United Grand Lodge of England including the Library and Museum of Freemasonry

Additional Source:

• Founder Researchers : Paul Masters & Mike McCarthy
• Researcher : Bruce Littley