William “Willie” McKnight was born in Edmonton, Alberta in 1918 and soon moved with his family to Calgary. In 1938, he joined the Royal Air Force and headed to England. In mid-April of 1939, McKnight received a short service commission as an acting Pilot Officer and earned his Royal Air Force pilot’s brevet at No. 6 Service Flying Training School. While he appeared shy and reticent, he was a fierce warrior and a leader.
McKnight was posted to 242 Squadron in November 1939. The squadron was chosen to become the Canadian unit, manned entirely by Canadians. In May 1940, 242 Squadron sent a small detachment of pilots, including McKnight, to fly with other British Expeditionary Force squadrons. Within days of his arrival in France, young McKnight scored the first of his 17 confirmed victories over Luftwaffe pilots on May 19.
During the days of the Dunkirk withdrawal, McKnight claimed six more enemy aircraft and by June 7, had become a double ace with 10 victories. His prowess in the air and his courage in the face of the enemy had already brought him notice, and in early June he was awarded his first Distinguished Flying Cross.
The last of 242 Squadron’s pilots flew back to England on June 18. The never-ending sorties and the exhausting pace had taken its toll on the young Calgarian and he was hospitalized in early July for exhaustion, weight loss and stress-related illnesses. The new squadron commander, Douglas Bader, recognized talent and regularly flew with McKnight as his wingman. With McKnight protecting his flank, Bader’s score increased as well. Throughout the next three months McKnight rapidly accumulated victories, becoming a triple ace by the end of the Battle of Britain.
In October, McKnight was awarded his second Distinguished Flying Cross or “bar” and promoted to Flying Officer. On January 12, 1941, McKnight and M.K. Brown had just made attacks on a German “E” boat and troop concentrations just inland from Gravelines, Holland, when a Messerschmitt Bf-109 was spotted by Brown. After making a hard turn to the right, he looked again for the 109 and McKnight, but neither could be seen.
In October of 1969, a roadway leading to the Calgary Airport became McKnight Boulevard. The namesake of McKnight Boulevard, a young Calgarian by the name of William Lidstone McKnight, battled for the fate of Europe in the skies over England and France. He often flew with his squadron commander, a legendary fighter pilot by the name of Douglas Bader, a man who had no legs.
Each and every night, these two fighter pilots rested, caroused, attempted to sleep and readied for the next day’s inevitable pitched battles, while the ground crews of No. 242 Canadian Squadron laboured through the days and nights to refuel, repair and rearm their Hawker Hurricanes. Bader’s loyal, diligent and talented engine fitter was another Albertan by the name of Noel Barlow. McKnight and Barlow—one died, one lived, and Bader, an Englishman, had a lot to do with their names being associated with two intersecting thoroughfares in the booming oil town of Calgary.
Later, Bader unveiled a commemorative plaque to McKnight in the passenger hall of the Calgary Airport.