Walter Knox was born on 3 October 1912 in Ranikhet India, the son of Kenneth Neville Knox CIE MA of the Indian Civil Service and Dorothy May Knox (née Colvin).

Walter joined the Royal Navy as a Cadet in December 1929 and the battleship HMS RODNEY on 7 January 1930 for his basic training.  He was promoted to Midshipman on 1 September 1930 and transferred to the battlecruiser HMS RENOWN on 9 Jun 32.  On 21 Aug 33, he  underwent training courses in Gunnery, Torpedoes & Navigation for the rank of Lieutenant at Portsmouth. He was promoted to Sub Lieutenant on 1 Sep 33 and, as he had gained one 1st Class, three 2nd Class and one 3rd Class pass in his Sub Lieutenant’s Examinations, he was awarded one month’s seniority.

His date of joining submarines is not recorded but he was appointed to the submarine depot ship HMS MEDWAY (4th Submarine Flotilla, China Station) ‘for Submarines’ on 11 August 1934, although not then noted as ‘Submarine Qualified’ in the Navy List.  Walter Knox was promoted to Lieutenant on 1 September 1935 and appointed to ‘HMS PARTHIAN as 3rd Hand’ (4th Submarine Flotilla) at Hong Kong on 4 September 1935.

He married Miss Joan Illingworth in the cathedral in Hong Kong on 1 November 1935.  He was still serving in HMS PARTHIAN in January 1937 but moved to HMS TUNA to be her First Lieutenant not long after.

Upon successful completion of his Commanding Officers Qualifying Course (COQC) in UK in 1940, he was appointed to ‘HMS H44 in Command’ on 9 March 1941, continuing to serve in her until 8 Jun 41.  He had been awarded the Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) on 12 November 1940.

He was appointed to ‘HMS REGENT in Command’ on 20 July 1941.  REGENT was lost with all hands in the Adriatic Sea off Bari between 18 and 25 April 1943 and is thought to have strayed into a minefield.

Walter Knox is commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval War Memorial on Panel No 72 Column No 3.

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Yorkshire Post, 2 November 1935

NAVAL WEDDING AT HONG KONG.

Mr. W.N.R. Knox and Miss J. Illingworth.

Miss Joan Illingworth and Mr. Walter Neville Ronald Knox, R.N., were married yesterday at the Cathedral, Hong Kong.  The bride is the younger daughter of Mr. W.L. Illingworth, chairman of the Leeds firm of timber importers, and Mrs. Illingworth, whose home is Wool Knoll, Hovingham, York. Her elder sister, Mrs. Cowper, is a well-known follower of the Sinnington hunt.  Mr. Knox, who is serving in H.M.S. Parthian on the China Station, is the son of Mr. Kenneth Knox, Indian Civil Service, of the Commissioner’s House, Jhansi. He met the bride years ago at a children’s party given by his uncle, General Price, at Wood Brow, Malton.

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Lancashire Evening Post, 29 May 1943:

Submarine Lost.

An Admiralty communique this afternoon states: The Board of Admiralty regrets to announce that H.M. Submarine Regent (Lt. W.N.R. Knox, DSC, RN) is overdue and must be presumed lost. The next of kin have been notified.