WW2 Royal Air Force Battle of Britain Combat Report of Pilot Officer William McKnight DFC & Bar, No 242 Squadron Commanded by Sir Douglas Bader,the printed and typed combat report relates to an action on 18thSeptember 1940 over Tilbury Docks, London (Essex). The report gives the following details, ‘Forward E/Flight to intercept small enemy bomber formation with close fighter escort. Attacked a Ju88 with the C.O. and other fighters. Enemy port engine on fire and a/c rapid descent to sea level heading out to sea toward France. We turn back as Hurricanes of 302 polish Sdn are following him. Note another Junkers below with s/b engine feathered. S/Ldr Bader orders us to attack and we go in, also with a Hurricane of the Polish squadron. Enemy a/c well shot up and goes vertically down. Three crew parachute out the first catching tailplane before falling to earth. Other two down in sea. A/C down in sea off Sheerness. Time 17.30 hrs. C.O. orders us return to Duxford’. Signed in pencil by McKnight. Small area of paper loss to the top but otherwise good condition. Accompanied by a folder of research material.William Lidstone McKnight,DFC&Barwas a Canadian flying aceof WW2. He was Canada’s fifth-highest scoring ace of the war. McKnight joined theRoyal Air Forcein early 1939 and served inNo. 242 Squadron RAFduring the final phase of theBattle of France, covering the Allied retreat fromBrittany, and later theBattle of Britain. McKnight’s aircraft wore a distinct cartoon of ajackbootkickingAdolf Hitleron the port side of the engine cowling. His Hurricane also carried a human skeleton image which held a sickle in its hand under the cockpit, on both sides of the aircraft.McKnight scored 17 victories, as well as two shared and three unconfirmed kills. McKnight was shot down and killed on 12 January 1941 during a fighter sweep over Calais.