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Every day thousands of Calgarians drive along McKnight Boulevard, the main east-west road in the north of the city.
But what not all of them may know is that the road honors William McKnight, Canada's distinguished Royal Air Force ace during World War II.
McKnight was born in Edmonton in 1918 and spent his childhood in Calgary, growing up in the Crescent Heights area.
He joined the British Royal Air Force on what is known as a short service commission as part of a unit made up mainly of Canadians. formed earlier the presence of the Royal Canadian Air Force may be established.
When the conflict began, McKnight began to shine. local historian Shelley McElroy said Calgary opens its eyes.
“He was a very, very outstanding, dedicated and elite pilot,” said McElroy, who is writing a book about McKnight.
McElroy said she came across McKnight's story by chance.
When talking about the Calgary Stampeder players who served in the war, McElroy mentioned McKnight's name.
“What I didn’t know was that William McKnight himself was watching. And of course, I’m not talking about William McKnight, I’m talking about his nephew,” McElroy said.
“He approached me… and I saw documents, photographs, a letter from Bill, as he called himself, which historians did not know about. That started it all.”
Calgary Eye opener8:39Remembering William McKnight on Memorial Day
A look into the life of the Calgarian and World War II pilot who gave his name to a famous boulevard in the city.
Ace of the Battle of Britain
According to Royal Canadian Air ForceMcKnight shot down 17 German aircraft during his career, and is considered Canada's most successful ace in the Battle of Britain.
“Only one in 100 fighter pilots ever becomes an ace. Most of them had never shot. And if they did shoot, they missed,” McElroy said. “So just to put it in context.”
To be considered a flying ace during World War II, pilots had to shoot down five or more aircraft.
The Royal Canadian Air Force reported that McKnight shot down 10 aircraft over the Dunkirk beach and scored six victories in four days. He flew with 242 Squadron, also known as “all Canadian” due to the number of Canadians who served in it.
“On August 30, 1940, during the Battle of Britain, McKnight shot down three aircraft in one day: two Messerschmitt Bf 109s and a Henkel He 111,” the Royal Canadian Air Force wrote in 2015.
“Hockey Canadians dubbed his feat a “hat trick.”
His flying abilities earned him the respect of his commander, the famous pilot Douglas Bader, who flew with two artificial legs.
“All the Canadians seemed fearless, and none more so than Willie McKnight, a twenty-year-old sharpshooter from Calgary who had already shot down several German planes in the chaos over France,” reads an excerpt from the book. Reach for the skya 1954 biography of Bader written by Paul Brickhill.
“Under his tender lips he was a strong little man… [with] weakness to soft music; he had a large collection of Bing Crosby records and played them endlessly in the dining room in the evenings.”
On January 12, 1941, McKnight's Hurricane aircraft disappeared while flying over the English Channel. He has no known grave and was 23 years old when he disappeared.
Bader later visited Calgary several times and was quoted in Calgary Herald in 1957, stating that “aAll the happiness that I had during and after the war can be placed squarely at the feet of Canadians.”
“[Bader] was the person who really encouraged Calgary leaders to consider naming the road leading to the airport after McKnight.” McElroy said.
McElroy will give a presentation on McKnight's life at the Central Public Library on Nov. 18.
