The contents on this page remain on our website for informational purposes only.
Content on this page will not be reviewed or updated.

Formerly a second lieutenant in the Militia Battalion of the Oxon and Bucks Light Infantry, Lieutenant Arthur Knapp, of the Nyassaland Field Force, died of enteric fever on active service in East Africa on May 27th 1916. Aged 42, he was the third son of the late M. Knapp, of Little Linford Hall, and after an education at Radley College spent 15 years in cotton planting in Nyassaland. At the outbreak of the war he took a commission in the Nigerian Field Force, acting as assistant transport officer, and had recently been recruiting native carriers for the British Forces in German East Africa.

On matters of national importance, in February 1917 the Vicar of Little Linford, the Reverend E. Still, had some correspondence with the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. Lloyd George, and also Admiral Sir David Beatty, commanding the Grand Fleet, and Admiral Sir John Jellicoe, the First Sea Lord. ‘No portion of Admiral Beatty‘s letter can be published,’ but from 10, Downing Street dated February 8th 1917 came the reply; ‘I am directed by the Prime Minister to thank you for your letters of the 1st and 6th inst. in which he was much interested.’ As for the response regarding Admiral Jellicoe; ‘Admiralty, 5th February, 1917. I am desired by Admiral Sir John Jellicoe to thank you for your interesting letter of 30th January, the contents of which will be borne in mind.’

At Little Linford, on October 1st 1917, at 11.30a.m. police sergeant Roberts, in company with police constable Bonner, discovered three chemical students from the Finsbury Technical College on the River Ouse. Being in possession of another one, they were in a canoe, and had a complete camp with them. When asked what they were doing they said they were on holiday, but their details had been posted in the ‘Police Gazette’ as being wanted under the Military Service Act since April 24th. They duly produced their registration certificates, and when the older one was questioned as to why he wasn’t in the army, he said that he had been exempted by the Hitchin Tribunal, but the documentation was at home. Yet when the trio were brought to the police station, police constable Bonner found the man’s name in the Police Gazette, as being wanted by the military. In two letters discovered on his person, apparently from his mother, the comment was found “You have done a bunk!” with the advice (with suggestions as how to do so as if he was not bunking) to go to Hitchin and give himself up. He also had three papers certifying that on July 23rd 1917 he had been awarded the diploma of the City and Guilds of London Institute. As for another lad, he had a temporary exemption card, stating that he was to report to Hackney no later than July 15th. When asked if he went to the recruiting office he said he hadn’t, but had written instead, and was awaiting a reply. Since July they said that they had been on holiday touring the rivers of England, travelling from one to another, and as for the reason for this leisure, two said that they had conscientious objections to military service. In fact the eldest said he had appealed some time ago as a conscientious objector, having prior to November 1st been granted eight months exemption, but having not agreed to the verdict of non combatant he went before the Herts. County Tribunal. This appeal was unsuccessful, but not until February did he receive his notice. He said he couldn’t join the army because he wanted to continue his studies, and having studied for the first and second terms in London it was there that he had stayed with friends. He had then gone on holiday with the other two boys, and they were nearly home when they were arrested. In fact he was exactly at the end of term when the police came for him, but since he had gone his details were put in the Police Gazette. Another of the lads said that in his case he had received no calling up papers. All three were remanded, to be handed over to the military authorities.

At the Y.M.C.A. Hut in the High Street, Newport Pagnell, at 7.15p.m. on Tuesday, January 15th 1918 the Reverend Ernest R. Sill, F.R.G.S., gave a lecture on a) ‘What happens at death?’ b) ‘Our condition after death.’ ‘There will be music and solos between part 1 and 2.’

On the afternoon of Tuesday, January 22nd 1918 the Reverend E.R. Sill, the vicar of Little Linford, had an interview at 10, Downing Street with the Prime Minister’s secretary, upon some important matters of national interest.

During heavy fighting in France, on July 29th 1918 Captain A. Knapp, was severely wounded by gunfire above the knee, and subsequently underwent treatment at the Second Red Cross Hospital at Rouen. When his regiment had gone into action he was second in command, and after the Colonel was killed assumed command for 2½ hours, until being wounded. He was the younger brother of Mr. J. Knapp, of Linford Hall, and had only recently been on the Western Front, having previously seen service during the Nigeria Campaign and in Palestine.

Dated August 10th 1919, a letter from the Reverend Ernest R. Sill, Vicar of Little Linford, to a local newspaper;

“Sir, - All who have written to me regarding my last publication - Transformation through Death - will be interested in some remarks by the Bishop of London last week on the subject.” Stating that it was at a populous meeting in Hyde Park, organised by the Metropolitan Divisional Council of the National Federation of Discharged and Demobilised Sailors and Soldiers, in memory of those who had fallen in the war, he repeated the story told by Dr. Ingram. “A Mother whom he knew well lost her son in an air battle. He fell 13,000 feet. On hearing the news she was broken hearted. Suddenly she saw her son and felt his arms around her, his lips on hers, and in a voice of indescribable tenderness he said: “No Mummy. I am not allowed to come back to you on earth again,” and vanished. Tennyson said “There is no death, what seems so is transition.” The Incarnate God said “Thou shalt be with Me in Paradise.”