Yesterday I left off with telling you about our professional carpenter turned soldier. I mentioned that he had tackled barbed wire twice and got slight wounds as a result. He also attacked far more than obstacles.
I cannot yet find a citation about what he did to be awarded the Croix de Guerre by the King of Belgium. But I did locate a London Gazette notice containing Art's name and about 1700 other officers and enlisted men from Britain, Canada, New Zealand, Australia and Newfoundland, (still a British Colony at the time) who were also awarded the Crouix de Guerre, a medal usually issued for bravery in the field. And folks... that is just one issue of perhaps thousands of issues of the London Gazette.
One in ten of these medals i this issue went to a Canadian, though the units, dates involved and actions performed were not listed. Some internet sites say Art's medal came from actions 99 years ago at the famous battle of Passchendaele
In May of 1918 Art was promoted to Lance Sergeant and by August or September, he was again promoted to Acting Sergeant.
I cannot yet find a citation about what he did to be awarded the Croix de Guerre by the King of Belgium. But I did locate a London Gazette notice containing Art's name and about 1700 other officers and enlisted men from Britain, Canada, New Zealand, Australia and Newfoundland, (still a British Colony at the time) who were also awarded the Crouix de Guerre, a medal usually issued for bravery in the field. And folks... that is just one issue of perhaps thousands of issues of the London Gazette.
One in ten of these medals i this issue went to a Canadian, though the units, dates involved and actions performed were not listed. Some internet sites say Art's medal came from actions 99 years ago at the famous battle of Passchendaele
In May of 1918 Art was promoted to Lance Sergeant and by August or September, he was again promoted to Acting Sergeant.
Regular readers of these blogs will have seen this map before and became aware of several of the Canadian Victoria Crosses that were earned along this line known as the Drocourt-Queant Line. It is named after the villages called Drocourt, at the top of the line and Queant at the bottom.
Battling the Germans along this very heavily protected line began the push of the enemy back out of France, into Belgium and back into Germany from whence they came so many years earlier.
The 100 day offensive would see a gain of some 130 Km's of territory, the taking of over 32,000 prisoners and the capture of about 3,800 artillery pieces, machine guns and mortars.
But the price tag was not cheap. In those 100 days Canada lost almost 6,800 of her finest, and another 39,000 wounded.
And in those same 100 days 30 Canadians and Newfoundlanders would come home with a Victoria Cross. Actually, if truth be known, in many cases only the medal came home.
Sadly, Art was one of the later heroes. Here is what the London Gazette had to say about Art... but they called him Acting Sergeant Arthur George Knight.
And you guessed it... the "Knight" with shinning armor. The "Knight" who was awarded the Victoria Cross.
Battling the Germans along this very heavily protected line began the push of the enemy back out of France, into Belgium and back into Germany from whence they came so many years earlier.
The 100 day offensive would see a gain of some 130 Km's of territory, the taking of over 32,000 prisoners and the capture of about 3,800 artillery pieces, machine guns and mortars.
But the price tag was not cheap. In those 100 days Canada lost almost 6,800 of her finest, and another 39,000 wounded.
And in those same 100 days 30 Canadians and Newfoundlanders would come home with a Victoria Cross. Actually, if truth be known, in many cases only the medal came home.
Sadly, Art was one of the later heroes. Here is what the London Gazette had to say about Art... but they called him Acting Sergeant Arthur George Knight.
And you guessed it... the "Knight" with shinning armor. The "Knight" who was awarded the Victoria Cross.
Sgt Knight was struck in the head by a piece of shrapnel in mid afternoon on September 3 1918, was sent to a field hospital but died the next day. He was only 32 years old when he gave his life for his country. The battle that took his life was fought very close to the bottom of the defensive line shown above.
The King of England was so saddened when he heard of the tragedy that he wrote Art's parents to tell of his heroism and the awarding of the VC, and did so in his own handwriting.
A few months later... on 19 December... exactly 4 years to the day when he enlisted back in Regina, his parents and sisters attended a formal presentation at London and received the actual medal. It is believed to have changed hands a few times in the intervening years but now is believed to be among the great collection of VC's at Calgary's Glenbow Museum.
The King of England was so saddened when he heard of the tragedy that he wrote Art's parents to tell of his heroism and the awarding of the VC, and did so in his own handwriting.
A few months later... on 19 December... exactly 4 years to the day when he enlisted back in Regina, his parents and sisters attended a formal presentation at London and received the actual medal. It is believed to have changed hands a few times in the intervening years but now is believed to be among the great collection of VC's at Calgary's Glenbow Museum.
Sergeant Arthur George Knight, VC rests today at the Dominion Cemetery just a few miles away from where he was killed. Some 200 or more of his Canadian comrades in arms join him there and no doubt, since he is the only Victoria Cross recipient there, he probably gets to talk first at their gatherings in heaven. Note the towering Cross of Sacrifice at the cemetery. (The largest one of its kind in the world is located at Halifax Nova Scotia, and a smaller version is mounted at Arlington in DC)
I found the above picture on the net. It shows a likeness I presume of the medals that Art was entitled to. I say likeness because the Croix de Guerre above shown appears to be a WWll version and not one slightly different and in use in the Great War.
At left is a plaque mounted in the town hall back in England where he was born, and his school also mounted an honour roll plaque and included him, at above right. His name is also engraved on a number of VC monuments in Canada, a plaque has been mounted outside his old home in Regina, and his regiment... the old 10th... now the Calgary Highlanders... have raised a monument in Europe in remembrance of his heroism.
But each of us should take some time to recognize Art, and over 100 other Canadian VC recipients, or those with connections to Canada, and with their brothers who earned the Medal of Honor.
There is little that has be done on many of these Canadian heroes. Their stories in these blogs should only be a first.
What can you do? Better yet..what WILL YOU DO? Start a movement in your part of the country to recognize one of these heroes, and tell me about it, and I will give it some coverage in this very space.
cheers till Sunday.
Bart
But each of us should take some time to recognize Art, and over 100 other Canadian VC recipients, or those with connections to Canada, and with their brothers who earned the Medal of Honor.
There is little that has be done on many of these Canadian heroes. Their stories in these blogs should only be a first.
What can you do? Better yet..what WILL YOU DO? Start a movement in your part of the country to recognize one of these heroes, and tell me about it, and I will give it some coverage in this very space.
cheers till Sunday.
Bart
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