More about Alexander Knowles

Alexander Knowles was the son of Mr David Knowles of Ogilvy Street, Dundee and gave his place of birth as St Andrews, Dundee when he enlisted, under age, in the Royal Marines Light Infantry in February 1902 and when he was employed as a Mill Worker. He served in a number of warships including battleships Vengeance, Bellerophon and Invincible and shore establishments. In April 1914 he was drafted to the battleship HMS Dreadnought and served in this ship throughout the war. His next of kin addresses include 90 Albert Street and Ogilvie Street, Dundee. Alexander Knowles died whilst serving in the Dreadnought and is buried in the Isle of Sheppey General Cemetery, Sheerness. The cause of his death is not recorded. HMS Dreadnought is the only battleship credited with sinking a submarine when a U-Bost partially surfaced after firing a torpedo at her. She rammed the submarine, then U-29, which then sank with all hands in the Pentland Firth. The Captain of the U-29 was Kapitan Leutnant Otto Weddingen, who had sunk the Royal Navy cruisers Hawke, Aboukir, Cressy and Hogue in 1914.