Amos Charles KNIBBS

Amos Charles Knibbs served on HM Submarine E8 between 14 April 1914 until April 1917.The Russian Baltic fleet had very few effective submarines, so in August 1915, the E8 was despatched to reinforce the British submarine forces already operating in the Baltic area. These British submarines came to play an important part in stopping the German High Seas Fleet exercising freely in the southern Baltic, as well as disrupting iron ore traffic from Sweden to Germany. On 23 October 1915, the German armoured cruiser Prinz Adalbert was attacked by the E8. One of E8's torpedoes hit the magazine and the Prinz Adalbert exploded and sank with the tragic loss of around 650 men. This resulted in a temporary withdrawal of all German heavy warships from the Baltic, and was considered to be the most successful strike by a British submarine during the Great war. This success was recognised by both the British and Russian leaders.

The entire crew were each awarded the Russian Medal, the Cross of St. George, 4th Class, for their part in the sinking of the Prinz Adalbert. Lt Cdr Francis Goodhart, the commander of the E8 wrote in his patrol report: "On the occasion of the successful attack on the Prinz Adalbert, I wish to record the splendid work of the officers and men serving under my command since the war started. Of the Petty Officers and men it is impossible to mention all, but G. D. Thomas C.P.O. Coxswain, R. C. Maunders P.O.1, Senior L.T.O., G. B. Perry, Chief Stoker P.O., J. T. Baker, Acting Leading Stoker, A. C. Knibbs, A. B., H. W. Mills, Stoker, W. E. Newbound, Stoker, have been especially prominent in their good work, where all have been excellent".

The Cross of St. George is not normally awarded directly to the recipients by the Russian authorities, but in this case, Lt. Cdr. Goodhart was instructed to nominate five of the crew members to receive their decorations, alongside him, in person, from the Czar, Prince Nicholas of Russia. He nominated Artificer Frederick Asker, Chief Petty Officer Coxwain George Thomas, Chief Stoker George Perry and Petty Officer Reginald Maunders, but then had to decide between Able Seaman Vale and the then Able Seaman Amos Knibbs. As it was Vale's torpedo tube that fired the winning shot against the Prinz Adalbert, he chose Vale. Amos would have been next to fire a shot from the beam torpedo tube but it wasn't required. Lt. Cdr. Goodhart wrote in his diary for that day "`I had to choose five men to have St George Cross's given to them by Emperor. Chose Asker, Perry Sto P.P., Thomas Coxswain, Maunders P.O., Vale AB as five best men, the only doubt being the later but his tube fired the winning shot so decided in preference to Knibbs, (beam tubes)."

Amos saw much active service during his service in the E8 including the First Battle of Heligoland Bight which was the first naval battle of the First World War, fought on 28 August 1914, after the British planned to attack German patrols off the north-west German coast. A very large naval force was despatched to attack the German patrols to the west of the German naval base at Heligoland. This attack by the surface ships was coordinated with a force of eight British submarines which were used to attack any reinforcing or retreating German ships, and to draw the German ships out to sea.

The Chatham Built Submarines web site gives details of British submarines including details of the E8, it's operations, and it's crew members, including Amos Knibbs. Sincere thanks also to Darren Brown for sharing information from his extensive research into the British submarines that served in the Baltic in WW1.

The Cross of St. George was Imperial Russia's highest exclusively military order, similar in status to that of the Victoria Cross of Great Britain.

Amos Charles KNIBBBS, 1883-1961 - Cross of St George