Pegasus Journal Obituary for Sid Knight MM

Sid was born in East Ham, London, on 24 March 1913.

At the outbreak of war both Sid and his brother Arthur enlisted for the Army and were posted to the Essex Regiment. When the 10th Bn of the Essex Regt was amalgamated into the 6th British AB Div and became 9th Para Bn, Sid, now a Sergeant, volunteered for parachute duties.

On the night of 5/6 June 1944, he parachuted into Normandy with 9th Para Bn, whose task was to destroy the guns of a 4-gun coastal battery at Merville, near Caen. During the action Sid was ordered to pick a small party of men to neutralise all enemy machine guns situated around the perimeter of the battery. This action was highly successful and for his bravery Sid received the Military Medal.

On his 32nd birthday he jumped with 9th Para Bn into Germany, carrying a cake baked by his wife, Gladys and which, later that evening, he shared with comrades in the confines of their 'slit trenches'. By now Sid had been promoted to Sergeant Major.

On return to civilian life Sid, with his wife, held various positions, mainly in the retail trade, until retirement, when they moved to Dorset in 1978. Sadly, in 1992 Gladys died.

Sid was a loyal member of 9th Para Bn Reunion Club and attended most of its functions. On 9th Para Bn's pilgrimage to Normandy in 1994 he appeared on Charles Wheeler's BBC TV programme and spoke of his experiences.

He had a very strong affinity with the Newbury Branch of the PRA and was a member of his local Normandy Veterans' Branch.

Sid spent various periods in hospital over the past three or four years, but never lost his cheerfulness and good humour.

He is survived by two children, six grandchildren and four great grandchildren.