Gazette Information: GAZETTE ISSUE 30372, VICTORIA CROSS,: https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/30372/supplement/11568. His Majesty the KING has been graciously pleased to approve of the award of the Victoria Cross to the undermentioned:- No. 370995 Serjeant Alfred Joseph Knight, London Regiment (Nottingham). For most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty during the operations against the enemy positions. On 20th September 1917 at Alberta Section, Ypres, Belgium, Serjeant 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, Serjeant 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 Non-commissioned Officer 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.
Fold3_Team · Oct 31, 2023
Gazette Information: GAZETTE ISSUE 30372, VICTORIA CROSS,: https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/30372/supplement/11568. His Majesty the KING has been graciously pleased to approve of the award of the Victoria Cross to the undermentioned:- No. 370995 Serjeant Alfred Joseph Knight, London Regiment (Nottingham). For most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty during the operations against the enemy positions. On 20th September 1917 at Alberta Section, Ypres, Belgium, Serjeant 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, Serjeant 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 Non-commissioned Officer 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.