Proud Day for Knappers

On Saturday 25th June another member of a seafaring family will pass out from Warsash Marine Academy as a a new engineer officer.

Harry Knapper is the son of Charles Knapper who served in the Royal Navy as an engineer on nuclear submarines (now a solicitor in Plymouth) and grandson of our own Harry Knapper who spent 19 years in the Merchant Navy holding the rank of Chief Engineer (now retired).

With engineers going back to World War One Harry will become an engineer officer having completed his shore training in Southampton. Harry has already served on the Cunard Ship Queen Elizabeth and Oceana one of the prestigious P&O Fleet. In fact since the early part of the 20th century there has always been a sea fairing Knapper engineer.

This is a proud moment for the Knapper family as yet another generation becomes a fully fledged engineer serving at sea. Both his father (Charles) and his uncle (Daniel) broke with tradition and joined the Royal Navy serving on nuclear submarines during the Cold War whereas his grand father, his great uncles, great great uncles and his great great great uncles all served in the Merchant Navy.

Harry's brother (William) is also at a marine academy but in South Shields and hopes to pass out as an engineer officer next year having already served on Queen Mary 2 as a cadet engineer officer.

Harry's passing out ceremony will be attended by his Father and Mother, his Grandfather and his two Grandmothers along with his uncle Edward.

All of the family will be proud of Harry but non will be as proud as his grandfather Harry Knapper bearing in mind they have the same name and Harry junior the ambition to emulate Harry senior as a Chief Engineer Officer.

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