| Places | |
|---|---|
| Accession Number | UK0238A |
| Collection type | Photograph |
| Object type | Negative |
| Place made | United Kingdom: England, Greater London, London |
| Date made | 23 June 1943 |
| Conflict |
Second World War, 1939-1945 |
| Copyright |
Item copyright: Copyright expired - public domain
|
Studio portrait of 401449 Pilot Officer Leslie Gordon Knight of RAAF Overseas Headquarters, ...
Description
Studio portrait of 401449 Pilot Officer Leslie Gordon Knight of RAAF Overseas Headquarters, England. A 19 year old accountant from Camberwell, Victoria prior to enlisting as a trainee aircrew on 3 February 1941, he undertook his initial training in Australia before embarking for England as a Sergeant Pilot on 17 November 1941. After completing advanced training in England, he was commissioned a Pilot Officer (PO) on 8 December 1942 and joined 50 Squadron RAF. In March 1943 PO Knight was posted to 617 Squadron RAF, then being formed for precision bombing operations. On 16 May 1943 he participated in the attack on German dams in the Ruhr Valley and was instrumental in the destruction of the Eder Dam. For this action, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) and promoted to Flying Officer. On 16 September 1943 he participated in a raid on the Dortmund-Ems canal and was killed when attempting to control his damaged aircraft to enable the rest of his crew to escape. For this action, he was awarded a posthumous Mention in Despatches. Flight Lieutenant Knight is buried in the Den Ham General Cemetery, Netherlands.