Capt. Columb "Collie" Thomas Knox (13 March 1897 – 3 May 1977) was a British writer and journalist active during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

and the 1950s. After a varied military career, he joined the ''

Daily Express The ''Daily Express'' is a national daily United Kingdom middle-market newspaper printed in Tabloid (newspaper format), tabloid format. Published in London, it is the flagship of Express Newspapers, owned by publisher Reach plc. It was first ...

'' before switching to the ''

Daily Mail The ''Daily Mail'' is a British daily Middle-market newspaper, middle-market Tabloid journalism, tabloid conservative newspaper founded in 1896 and published in London. , it has the List of newspapers in the United Kingdom by circulation, h ...

'', which promoted him as a star journalist.

Early life and education

Knox was born in London, the second son of Irish politician Edmund Vesey Knox M.P. and Annie Elizabeth Lloyd from

Llanmaes Llanmaes () is a small village and community in the Vale of Glamorgan near the market town of Llantwit Major. The population in 2011 was 403. Amenities Llanmaes has a long history, with remains of a Roman fort in fields next to the coast ro ...

, Glamorgan. He was of Ulster Scots descent, the great-great grandson of

Thomas Knox, 1st Viscount Northland Thomas Knox, 1st Viscount Northland (20 April 1729 – 5 November 1818), known as The Lord Welles between 1781 and 1791, was an Irish politician. Background Thomas Knox was the son of Thomas Knox and Hester Echlin. He died on 5 November 1818 ag ...

. His uncles were Sir

Alfred Knox Major-General Sir Alfred William Fortescue Knox (30 October 1870 – 9 March 1964) was an Ulster-Scots career officer in the British Army and later a Conservative Party politician. Military career Knox was born at Shimnah House in Newcastle ...

and Sir Harry Knox. He was educated at

Rugby School Rugby School is a Public school (United Kingdom), private boarding school for pupils aged 13–18, located in the town of Rugby, Warwickshire in England. Founded in 1567 as a free grammar school for local boys, it is one of the oldest independ ...

and the

Royal Military College, Sandhurst The Royal Military College (RMC) was a United Kingdom, British military academy for training infantry and cavalry Officer (armed forces), officers of the British Army, British and British Indian Army, Indian Armies. It was founded in 1801 at Gre ...

. He served in the

Royal Flying Corps The Royal Flying Corps (RFC) was the air arm of the British Army before and during the First World War until it merged with the Royal Naval Air Service on 1 April 1918 to form the Royal Air Force. During the early part of the war, the RFC sup ...

during the First World War. His elder brother Lt. John Vesey Knox (1892–1918) was killed in an accident while an instructor for the RFC.

Personal life

In 1944, he married Gwendoline Frances Mary Mitchell, but they divorced in 1948. For a time, he shared a flat in Brighton with landscape designer

Peter Coats Sir Peter Coats of Auchendrane (18 July 1808 – 9 March 1890) was a Scottish thread manufacturer and philanthropist. He was co-founder of the firm J & P Coats, which later evolved into Coats Group. Life He was born in Paisley, the third son ...

, and together with Sir David Webster,

Robin Maugham Robert Cecil Romer Maugham, 2nd Viscount Maugham (17 May 1916 – 13 March 1981), known as Robin Maugham, was a British author. Trained as a barrister, he served with distinction in the Second World War, and wrote a successful novella, '' The ...

Douglas Byng image:Douglas Byng Allan Warren.jpg, Portrait by Allan Warren Douglas Coy Byng (17 March 1893 – 24 August 1987) was an English comic singer and songwriter in West End theatre, revue and cabaret. Billed as "Bawdy but British", Byng was famous ...

, and others, became slightly notorious as one of that town's homosexual celebrities.Peter Dennis, Beccie Mannall, Linda Pointing, ''Daring Hearts: Lesbian and Gay Lives of 50s and 60s Brighton'', QueenSpark, Brighton 1992

Books

*''Collie Knox Calling! A Selection of the famous Friday "Week-end" broadcasts now appearing in the Daily Mail'', Chapman and Hall, (1937) *''Collie Knox Again'', Chapman and Hall, (1938). *''It Might Have Been You'', Chapman & Hall, (1939). *''Heroes All'', Hodder & Stoughton, (1941). *''Atlantic Battle'' (1941). *''It had to be me '', Methuen & Co., (1947). *''The Un-Beaten Track'', Cassell and Company, (1944).

References

British male journalists 1899 births 1977 deaths Daily Mail journalists Knox family (Ulster-Scots aristocracy) People educated at Rugby School {{UK-journalist-stub