Wilfred Knight was born on September 1, 1925, the son of Charles Wesley Knight and Lucy Ann (nee Corrigan) Knight, of 107 Alfred Street, Sarnia. His brother, Patrick Knight, was also to join the RCAF, enlisting in September of 1942, and would become a Leading Aircraftman stationed in Nova Scotia at the time of Wilfred’s death. Wilfred received his education at Sarnia Collegiate and, prior to enlisting, he was employed as a checker at Canadian National Railways. Enlisting in September of 1943, eighteen year-old Wilfred, single at the time, left his family in Sarnia for the Toronto manning pool. He would join the Royal Canadian Air Force, receiving his training as a wireless gunner at Ottawa, Calgary and finally Dafoe, Saskatchewan, where he graduated from on August 11, 1944. He would receive his commission as a Pilot Officer on August 16, 1944. Wilfred spent six months at Nassau, Bahama Islands, before he went overseas in February 1945.

Wilfred was a member of  RCAF #160 Burma Squadron “Api Soya Paragasamu” (We seek and strike), attaining the rank of Wireless Operator-Air Gunner. The Burma Squadron was based on Ceylon Island off the south coast of India. Approximately one month after VE Day, marking the end of the war in Europe, on June 9, 1945, Wilfred was a member of a crew aboard Liberator aircraft BZ950 that took off for a secret destination. Nine minutes later, the aircraft crashed at Minneriya, Ceylon while returning to the airfield. In mid-June of 1945, Charles and Lucy Ann Knight in Sarnia would receive a telegram from Ottawa informing them that their son, Flying Officer Wilfred Knight has been reported killed in action overseas. Wilfred Knight had been overseas for just under four months. Along with Flying Officer-Wireless Operator/Air Gunner Wilfred Knight, also killed were FS.s A.R. Thomson, M.M. Smith; and six of the crew and ten passengers, all not Canadians. Wilfred was believed to be the first Sarnian or district casualty in the continuing war against the Japanese since VE-Day in Europe. Wilfred Knight would later be officially listed as, Killed as a result of a flying accident, overseas (Ceylon). Nineteen year-old Wilfred Knight is buried in Colombo (Liveramentu) Cemetery, Sir Lanka, Grave 3.G.5.

SOURCES: A, B, C, D, E, F, G, J, L, M, N, 2C, 2D