Alfred Joseph Knight
Sergeant, 2nd/8th Battalion *. London Regiment
- Register No.
- 701 (Alf's numbering, from The Register of the Victoria Cross, 1997)
- Rank
- Sergeant all Sergeants →
- Unit
- 2nd/8th Battalion *. London Regiment (register: Post Office Rifles) all Post Office Rifles VCs →
- Date of action
- 20 September 1917 on this day → all of 1917 →
- Conflict / campaign
- First World War
- London Gazette
- 8th November, 1917 on this day → all of 1917 →
- Born
- 24th August 1888 at Ladywood, Birmingham
- Died
- 4th December, 1960 at Birmingham
- Memorial / grave
- not known
Digest of citation
On 20th September 1917 at Alberta Section, Ypres, Belgium, when his platoon came under very heavy fire from an enemy machine gun, Sergeant Knight rushed through our own barrage and captured it single-handed. Without regard for personal safety he performed many other acts of conspicuous bravery single-handed, all the time under heavy machine-gun and rifle fire. The platoon officers of the company had become casualties before they had even reached the first objective. Sergeant Knight took command, not only in the men of his own platoon, but of the platoons without officers. His energy in consolidating and reorganising was unflagging
From Alf Askin's research notes
Reproduced as Alf wrote it, c. 2000–2005. Spelling and abbreviations are his own.
KNIGHT, Alfred Joseph. (reg No. 701).
Sergeant. 2nd/8th Battalion *. London Regiment. * London Gazetted on 8th November, 1917.
Born on 24th August 1888 at Ladywood, Birmingham.
Died on 4th December, 1960 at Birmingham.
Memorial not known.
Digest of Citation reads: On 20th September 1917 at Alberta Section, Ypres, Belgium, when his platoon came under very heavy fire from an enemy machine gun, Sergeant Knight rushed through our own barrage and captured it single-handed. Without regard for personal safety he performed many other acts of conspicuous bravery single-handed, all the time under heavy machine-gun and rifle fire. The platoon officers of the company had become casualties before they had even reached the first objective. Sergeant Knight took command, not only in the men of his own platoon, but of the platoons without officers. His energy in consolidating and reorganising was unflagging.
* City of London.
* Post Office Rifles.
Additional information:. Second Lieutenant Knight was also a Member of the British Empire (MBE). He was the son of Joseph and Annie Knight of Ladywood, Birmingham. He was educated at St Philip's Grammar-School, Edgbaston, Birmingham. On 26th October 1914 he joined the 2nd/ 8th Battalion of the London Regiment. (Post Office Rifles), serving in France during the European War (WWI). He was promoted Second Lieutenant (Gazetted 26th July 1919) in the Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regiment (Sherwood Foresters).
Additional information
Second Lieutenant Knight was also a Member of the British Empire (MBE). He was the son of Joseph and Annie Knight of Ladywood, Birmingham. He was educated at St Philip's Grammar-School, Edgbaston, Birmingham. On 26th October 1914 he joined the 2nd/ 8th Battalion of the London Regiment. (Post Office Rifles), serving in France during the European War (WWI). He was promoted Second Lieutenant (Gazetted 26th July 1919) in the Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regiment (Sherwood Foresters).
* City of London.
* Post Office Rifles.
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Alf recorded the memorial as: not known
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