The Airmen's Stories - F/Lt. R A L Knight

Roland Anthony Lee Knight was born in Fareham, Hampshire in 1917 and educated at Bedford Modern School.

His father was Jesse Knight (1847-1922), a partner in the Knight & Lee department store in Southsea, Hampshire.

J Knight is recorded as marrying Letitia Augusta Simpson (d. 1941) but RAL Knight appears in newspaper reports giving evidence recording the death of his mother, named as Emily Lee Knight. She was found dead of natural causes after going for a late night swim off Walmer beach in August 1937, aged 51.

RAL Knight joined the RAF on a short service commission in February 1936. Knight was posted to 2 FTS, Digby on 2nd May and joined 23 Squadron, equipped with Blenheims, at Northolt on 10th January 1937.

He was still with the squadron in 1940 and served with it throughout the Battle of Britain.

Above: 91 Squadron in 1941.

L to R: F/O JJ O’Meara, Sgt. JE Cooper, Knight, F/O P Barthropp, Sgt. Goodwin, Sgt. C Le Roux

In February 1941 Knight was posted to 91 Squadron, equipped with Spitfires, at Hawkinge as 'B' Flight Commander. On 6th March he damaged a Do17, on 7th April he destroyed a Me109 on the ground and destroyed Me109s on 5th May, 18th May, 17th June and 21st June. He claimed a Me109 damaged on June 26th.

July saw claims for Me109s shared and damaged on the 3rd and probable on the 8th.

Knight was awarded the DFC (gazetted 5th August 1941) and destroyed a Me109 on 14th August 1941.

On 21st August 1941 he was posted to Hornchurch to take command of newly-formed 403 (RCAF) Squadron. Knight destroyed a Me109 on 17th September but was killed on September 27th 1941 aged 24 on a sweep over France.

His Spitfire VB AD207 'C' was shot down by a Bf 109 during Circus 103B.

He is buried in Dunkirk Town Cemetery, France.