Knights, John Kingsley
Personal Information
Rank | F/L |
Forename(s) | John Kingsley |
Surname | Knights |
Gender | M |
Age | 28 |
Decorations | DFC |
Date of Death | 14-02-1945 |
Next of Kin | Son of John Knights and Bertha Mercedes Knights (née Jacobson) , of Strathmore, Alberta, Canada. Husband of Pansy Alice Knights (née Lloyd), whom he married on 16 August 1941 in Saskatchewan (Pansy was born in Aberdare, South Wales). |
Aircraft Information
Aircraft | Avro Lancaster III |
Serial Number | PB183 |
Markings | LQ-C |
Memorial Information
Burial/Memorial Country | United Kingdom |
Burial/Memorial Place | Runnymede Memorial |
Grave Reference | Panel 278. |
Epitaph |
IBCC Memorial Information
Phase | 2 |
Panel Number | 195 |
Enlistment Information
Service Number | J/16251 |
Service | Royal Canadian Air Force |
Group | 8 |
Squadron | 405 (Vancouver) |
Trade | Navigator |
Country of Origin | Canada |
Other Memorials
Location | Adjacent to Village Windmill, Mill Rd, Great Gransden, Cambridgeshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Memorial Stone with inscribed Metal Plaque |
Memorial Text | Remembering 405 (Vancouver) Sqn. PFF at Gransden Lodge 1942 - 1945 |
Location | St. Bartholomew's Church, Great Gransden, Cambridgeshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Stained Glass Window, RoH and inscribed metal plaque |
Memorial Text | Commemorating the 801 airmen of 405 Sqn. RCAF who gave their lives 1941 - 1945 |
Location | Pocklington Gliding Club, Pocklington Airfield, East Yorkshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Marble Pillar and inscribed metal plaque |
Memorial Text | In memory of 102 (Ceylon) and 405 (Vancouver) Sqns. Pocklington Airfield |
Miscellaneous Information
John was born on 9 April 1916 at Strathmore, Alberta. His father was born in Staffordshire, England and was a Nursery man and his mother, who was known as Bertie, was born in South Dakota, USA. He had a brother Urban Edward, and sisters Alice Marie and Verbena Jean. A third sister, La Vern Noah had died in 1926. He attended Glengary and Sunalta schools in Calgary, 1922-1930 followed by Western Canada Technical school 1930-1933, where he studied electricity and motor mechanics. John also studied music at the National Institute of Music and Arts. His sport interests were baseball, skating and he enjoyed dancing. |
He enlisted on 6 November 1940 and after training was posted to the U.K. Embarked from Canada on 17 July 1944, 3 PRC 19 July 1944, 61 Base 8 August 1944 and 405 Squadron on 30 September 1944. Sadly John was then to lose his life on 14 February 1945. |
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives
Record of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/1790/4 |
Summary of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/1790/3 |
Fellow Servicemen
Last Operation Information
Start Date | 13-02-1945 |
End Date | 14-02-1945 |
Takeoff Station | Gransden Lodge |
Day/Night Raid | Night (2% moon) |
Operation | Dresden- Operation Thunderclap. Undoubtedly the most controversial raid of the entire war, this was, on the face of it at least, an ordinary attack for Bomber Command at this point in the war. 805 aircraft in two waves, 3 hours apart with the second wave causing a firestorm. The true death toll is unknown but is believed to be in excess of 50000. 9 aircraft were lost. The American 8th Air Force also bombed the following day and again the day after, concluding their attack on 2nd March. It was, however, the first attack by the RAF which inflicted most of the damage. |
Reason for Loss |