Alfred Joseph Knight

Alfred Joseph Knight was born on 24 August 1888 at 12 Clifton Terrace, Friston Street, in Ladywood, Birmingham. The son of Joseph Knight, a glasscutter and confectioner, and Annie Maria Knight, he received his education at St Philip's Grammar School in Edgbaston. In 1909, he gained employment with the General Post Office as a clerical assistant in Birmingham, subsequently transferring in 1912 to the Post Office Engineering Department in Nottingham. In May 1915, he married Mabel Saunderson at The Oratory on Hagley Road, Edgbaston.

Following the outbreak of the First World War, he enlisted on 26 October 1914, joining the 2/8th (City of London) Battalion, The London Regiment (Post Office Rifles), under service number 370995. The battalion initially supplied replacement drafts to its front-line battalion before undergoing full mobilization training. Relocating to Sutton Veny, Wiltshire, in July 1916 as part of the 58th (2nd London) Division, the unit deployed to France on 4 February 1917.

His front-line military career began with immediate combat on the Western Front. On 14 May 1917, during the Second Battle of Bullecourt, Lance Sergeant Knight repeatedly went out under heavy shellfire to rescue wounded soldiers, an action that brought a Divisional Commander's Certificate for Gallant Conduct and promotion to full Sergeant.

The pivotal tactical engagement of his service took place on 20 September 1917 during the Battle of Menin Road Ridge, part of the Third Battle of Ypres. Operating near Hubner Farm and Wurst Farm Ridge, east of Keerselare, his unit advanced against strongly fortified German positions. When machine-gun fire halted his platoon, Sergeant Knight moved forward through his own artillery barrage, bayoneted the gunner, and captured the position single-handed. Spotting twelve enemy soldiers with a machine gun in a shell-hole, he attacked them alone, bayoneting two, shooting a third, and routing the rest. Becoming stuck waist-deep in mud during the advance, he engaged a German position firing on Allied troops, killing six occupants before extricating himself. Observing an adjacent company held up by fire from a fortified farm, he gathered several men, maneuvered to the flank, and brought heavy fire to bear, enabling the capture of the strongpoint.

With all company platoon officers killed or wounded before reaching the initial objective, Sergeant Knight assumed command of his own platoon and the remaining leaderless platoons, organizing the consolidation of the captured line. His actions were recognized in The London Gazette on 8 November 1917.

The official Victoria Cross citation reads:

"For most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty during the operations against the enemy positions. Sjt. Knight did extraordinary good work, and showed exceptional bravery and initiative when his platoon was attacking an enemy strong point, and came under very heavy fire from an enemy machine gun. He rushed through our own barrage, bayonetted the enemy gunner, and captured the position single-handed. Later, twelve of the enemy with a machine gun, were encountered in a shell-hole. He again rushed forward by himself, bayonetted two and shot a third and caused the remainder to scatter. Subsequently, during the attack on a fortified farm, when entangled up to his waist in mud, and seeing a number of the enemy firing on our troops, he immediately opened fire on them without waiting to extricate himself from the mud, killing six of the enemy. Again, noticing the company on his right flank being held up in their attack on another farm, Sjt. Knight collected some men and took up a position on the flank of this farm, from where he brought a heavy fire to bear on the farm as a result of which the farm was captured. All the platoon officers of the company had become casualties before the first objective was reached, and this gallant N.C.O. took command of all the men of his own platoon and of the platoons without officers. His energy in consolidating and reorganising was untiring. His several single-handed actions showed exceptional bravery, and saved a great number of casualties in the company. They were performed under heavy machine gun and rifle fire, and without regard to personal risk, and were the direct cause of the objectives being captured."

King George V presented him with the Victoria Cross at Buckingham Palace on 3 January 1918. He subsequently served as a military training instructor in France. On 17 March 1919, he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Sherwood Foresters, relinquishing his commission on 1 September 1921.

Certain internet accounts erroneously confuse his record with Australian service personnel, alleging he served in the Australian Imperial Force, won the Victoria Cross at Péronne in 1918, and received a knighthood (KBE). Primary military records, War Office citations, and official civil service lists confirm that he served exclusively in the British Army, won his award at Ypres in 1917, and received an MBE in 1951.

Resuming his post-war civilian career, he rejoined the Post Office before transferring in 1920 to the Ministry of Labour. He managed the York Employment Exchange from 1931 to 1937, led the Trade Board Section in Leeds, and returned to Birmingham in 1941 as Senior Wages Inspector. On 7 June 1951, he was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to the Ministry of Labour. He retired in November 1951 as Deputy Regional Director of the Ministry of Labour in the Midlands. He died at his home on Elvetham Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham, on 4 December 1960 at 72 and was buried in Oscott Catholic Cemetery, Sutton Coldfield. His Victoria Cross medal is held by the Post Office Museum in London.