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In August 1910
Florence Nightingale pioneering nurse of the Crimean War,
celebrated as “the lady with the lamp”, died at her home in East
Wellow, near Romsey, Hampshire. After a funeral service in St
Paul’s Cathedral, her coffin was returned to East Wellow for
burial in the churchyard of St Margaret’s Church.
 Although
the entire village turned out for the burial, only one Crimean
War veteran was present. That man was John Kneller from the
nearby village of King’s Samborne who had served as a Private
with the 23rd Regiment (Royal Welch Fusiliers). Aged 84 ,
“feeble and one-eyed” as he was described by The Times, John
Kneller stood under the porch of the church as the interment
took place. He was photographed for The Daily Mirror and his
picture accompanied the report of the funeral.
4614 Private
John Kneller was born at King’s Samborne, Hampshire in 1832 and,
aged 22, he joined the 23rd Regiment on 9th December 1854
at Winchester. He served with the Regiment in the Crimea and
he lost an eye during the siege of Sebastopol. He lay for three
months in the hospital at Scutari where he often saw Florence
Nightingale carrying her lantern on her nightly visits to the
wards. Kneller was eventually invalided out of the Army in
1856.
In 1914, this
remarkable proud old soldier was still able to be present at
Southampton to welcome the 2nd Battalion RWF home after 18 years
of foreign service. Wearing his Crimea Medal “his bent figure
and white hair presented a contrast to the sunburnt soldiers
with whom he chatted”. Kneller, although almost completely
blind asked if he might see the Regimental Colours. By order of
the Colonel they were unfurled for him and Kneller stood to
attention beneath them. It was noted that as well as his Crimea
Medal, Kneller wore a smaller medal “presented to him by
admirers” to mark his presence as the only Crimean veteran at
the funeral of Florence Nightingale.
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