Sir Arthur Knyvet Wilson

Arthur Knyvet Wilson (1842 – 1921) was born, lived and was buried in Swaffham. His family links included the Nelson family and Joshua Reynolds. His father was a Rear-Admiral and Arthur joined the Navy as a naval cadet in 1855 aged 13.

On 29 February 1884 he took part in an action in El Teb with the Naval Brigade and was awarded the Victoria Cross for engaging in single combat with the enemy to protect his detachment. That was during the British Sudan Campaign against the Jihadist Arabs in revolt against the Khedive of Egypt.

He was also interested in torpedoes. The Royal Navy began to use them in 1894 and the following year he invented double-barrelled torpedo tubes.

He was made an Admiral in 1905 and then First Sea Lord of the Admiralty. Although he retired soon after, he was recalled for the duration of World War I.

When he finally retired he tended the bowling green in Swaffham, helped returning soldiers get work and was very involved in the erection of the war memorial and the memorial window in the church.