Warrant Officer Class 1 Peter T McKnight

Peter T McKnight  joined the Coldstream Guards and a young man and was at Dunkirk. He also served in the desert war during Montgomery's time there.

Peter was with the RASC before volunteering for the airborne forces. He was parachute jump trained on Italy Course number 29. Later he is listed in The 5th Para Bn nominal roll as a CSM June 1945. After the war he was RSM of 1 Training battalion RASC based in Aldershot. 

Peter joined the Reserves 25 November 1947. For details of Peter's service please see the transcription of his service records below:

BRITISH ARMY SERVICE RECORDS PETER MCKNIGHT 2655355

12/1/32 Enlisted Bristol

20/4/32   Awarded 3rd Class Certificate of Education

28/3/34 Awarded 2nd Class Certificate of Education

15/8/39 Called to the Colours

1/9/39 Mobilised at Aldershot and posted to 2nd Battalion Coldstream Guards and appointed Unpaid Lance Corporal.  WO 167/699

27/2/40 Training in Esher.  8 days forfeiture of pay

1/3/40 Posted to X List Brigade of Guards

2/3/40 Disembarked France

3/3/40 France. Arrived at No 1 Infantry Base Depot

10/3/40 France.   Admitted to No 9 General Hospital

20/6/40 Home

17/10/40 Transferred to RASC and posted to 3 Reserve Motor Transport Company (51 Company)

15/11/40 7 Training Battalion, A Company, Staveley.  Admitted to Unit Medical Inspection Room

19/11/40 Discharged Unit Medical Inspection Room and admitted to Lodgemoor Hospital, Sheffield and discharged 18/12/40

17/12/40 Transferred from Coldstream Guards, rank Driver, and posted to 7 Training Battalion

1/2/41 7 Training Battalion. Appointed Unpaid Lance Corporal and Paid Lance Corporal

1/3/41 7 Training Battalion.  Appointed Unpaid and Paid Acting Corporal

30/5/41 7 Training Battalion.  Promoted to Corporal

5/11/41 Unit illegible.  Posted to unit

4-13/2/42 Kirkham? Granted 10 days leave

12/2/42 2 Mobilisation Centre

16/2/42 Granted Supplementary Partial Payment after 3 years service

14-15/3/42 Granted 2 days leave

16/5/42   Posted to 55 H A A Regiment RASC, Rochdale, and granted 3 days embarkation leave 17/5/42-19/5/42

19/5/42 Appointed Unpaid Acting Sergeant and Paid Acting Sergeant

29/5/42 Embarked for service overseas

7/7/42 Reinstated Paid Acting Sergeant.  Admitted to hospital 7/7/42 and discharged 7/7/42

11/7/42   Reinstated Acting Sergeant.

13/7/42 Disembarked

23/7/42 55 H A A Regiment.  Disembarked Egypt.  Rank Sergeant

9/10/42 Admitted Hospital and discharged 16/11/42

16/11/42 Paiforce. 668 General Transport Company Middle East.  Reappointed Acting Unpaid Sergeant and confirmed Sergeant

23/12/42 668 General Transport Company.  Granted rank of Sergeant

10/2/43 Admitted to hospital and discharged 16/2/43

7/4/43 1510 H A A Regiment. Struck off Strength Paiforce (Persia and Iraq Force)

6-12/5/43 Leave in Egypt

29/5/43 402 General Transport Company, Middle East. Taken on strength from 1510 H A A  Possible War Diary WO169/11867

10/7/43 668 General Transport Company Middle East.  Taken on strength from 402 General Transport Company

13/9/43 Middle East. Attached 152 Leave and Transit Camp for No 1 Middle East Officer’s Selection Board

28/9/43 Base Depot, Middle East.  Taken on strength of 1 Middle East Officer’s Selection Board

9/10/43 Base Depot, Middle East.  Admitted 19th General Hospital

16/10/43 668 General Transport Company, Middle East.  Taken on strength from Base Depot.  Possible War Diary WO169/11996

18/10/43 668 General Transport Company.  Middle East. Admitted to hospital.  Discharged the same day

23/9/43 Middle East. Appeared before No 1 Middle East Officer’s Selection Board and found not suitable.

19/11/43 668 General Transport Company Middle East. Discharged hospital and taken on strength of 668 General Transport Company. Possible War Diary WO169/11996 and WO169/16868

25/4/44 668 General Transport Company.  Moved to Sudan Defence Force and struck off strength Middle East Force

18/8/44 152 Transit.  From Sudan Defence Force and taken on strength Middle East Force

26/8/44 353 RASC.  Transferred to Army Air Corps, Paiforce, Middle East

18/2/45 From Unpaid Acting   Company Sergeant Major and Paid Acting Company Sergeant Major to Company Sergeant Major

1/11/45 GD DPS (?) From unpaid Acting Regimental Sergeant Major and Paid Acting Regimental Sergeant Major to Regimental Sergeant Major

1/11/45 Received accidental injuries of a trivial nature

15/11/45 GD DPS.  From Company Sergeant Major to Regimental Sergeant Major

26/2/46 Re-engaged for the AAC Para Regiment

11/4/46 APTS(?) Granted 7 days end of War Leave

5/9/46 APTS(?) Re-engaged for the AAC Para Regiment for such term as shall complete 22 years service

27/10/46 5 Para Battalion.  From War Regimental Sergeant Major to Regimental Sergeant Major

25/11/47 Airborne Forces Depot.  Transferred to RASC as Warrant Officer 1.  Medical Category A1

6/3/48 Last day of Home Service

7/3/48 British Army of the Rhine, 43 Company Para Brigade

21/4/49 British Army of the Rhine, 63 Company.   Sustained accidental injury of moderate severity

6/5/49   British Army of the Rhine, 63 Company.  Admitted 29 British Military Hospital and discharged 21/5/49

24/10/49 Family vacated accommodation on return to UK

2/11/49 Home. 63 Company.  Embarked British Army of the Rhine and disembarked UK 3/11/49

11/5/50 Home. 1 Training Battalion. Passed 1, 2 and 3 Drill Certificates

6/10/50 Home. 1 Training Battalion.  Appointed Regimental Sergeant Major

March 51 Home. 1 Training Battalion.  Awarded Army Certificate of Education, Parts 1 and 2, First Class

6/4/52 Home 6 Training Battalion. Re- granted Warrant Officer 11 (Company Sergeant Major)

9/1/53 Home 1 Training Battalion.  Sustained injury

17/3/53 Depot Battalion.  Struck off strength to port of embarkation Dervi?Dervt?/Singapore

18/3/53 Far East Land Force

21/4/53   Far East Land Force.  Disembarked Hong Kong and taken on strength of 8 Company

30/9/53 Far East Land Force.  8 Company. 

15/11/53 8 Company.  Embarked Hong Kong for UK.  Medical Assessment.  Struck off strength

11/1/54 Discharged and re-enlisted

20/1/54 Home. 6 Training Battalion.  Taken on Permanent Staff

1/2/54 Home. Medical Inspection

10/2/54 Home.   Houndstone Camp, Yeovil. 

14/10/54 Appointed Regimental Quarter Master Sergeant

31/1/55 Home. 6 Training Battalion.  Permitted to continue with the service beyond 22 years until 14/8/58

19/10/55 Home.  6 Training Battalion.  Medical Assessment

16/10/56 Home.  6 Training Battalion.  Medical Assessment

4/1/57 Home. Changed his first name to Thomas

1/3/57 Home. Depot.  Taken on strength and struck off strength 7/3/57

8/3/57 106 Company, British Army on the Rhine

4/4/57 106 Company, British Army on the Rhine.  Injuries of a trivial nature

8/7/57 Promoted Paid Acting WO1 (Regimental Sergeant Major)

31/8/57 Struck off strength and taken on strength Depot Battalion 1/9/57

1/9/57 Home. Depot Battalion

11/9/57 Home.  Taken on strength 6 Training Battalion

27/12/57 Home. 6 Training Battalion.  Appointed Regimental Quarter Master Sergeant

31/12/57 Home.  Permitted to continue until 14/8/61

26/2/58 Home. Regimental HQ Dorsets.  Taken on strength 46 Army

14/3/58 Home. Taken on strength RAC Depot

30/11/58 Home.   RASC RO. To Central Clearing Wing Exeter

14/2/59 Home. Depot RAC.  Struck off strength

11/5/59 Home. Medical Board at Netley

22/6/59 Home. Temporarily attached ? Bournemouth

4/1/60 Died at home and buried 7/1/60

As quoted from service records

12/1/32-11/1/35

12/1/35-14/8/39 Reserve

15/8/39-4/1/60 Total service from 5/8/39

3/2/47-6/3/48 Home

 7/3/48-2/11/49 British Army of the Rhine

3/11/49-17/3/53 Home

18/3/53-20/12/53 Far East Land Force

21/12/53-11/1/54

1/1/54 -6/3/57 Home

7/3/57-31/8/57 British Army of the Rhine

1/9/57-4/1/60 Home

 

Qualifications -  Parachutist