Frederick John Knowles facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Frederick John Knowles
|
|
|---|---|
| Born | 1 November 1895 Nairn, Moray, Scotland |
| Died | 31 December 1979 |
| Buried |
Nairn
|
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Service/ |
British Army |
| Rank | Corporal |
| Unit | No. 111 Squadron RFC |
| Battles/wars | World War I • Sinai and Palestine campaign |
| Awards | Military Medal |
Corporal Frederick John Knowles (born in Nairn, Scotland, in 1895; died in 1979) was a brave Scottish soldier. He fought in World War I and was known as a "flying ace." This means he helped shoot down seven enemy airplanes from the sky!
Contents
A Brave Soldier in the Sky
Frederick Knowles was a corporal in the British Army. He was part of a special air unit called No. 111 Squadron. This squadron served in a place called Palestine during World War I. They were part of a big military group called the Egyptian Expeditionary Force, fighting in the Sinai and Palestine campaign.
What an Observer/Gunner Did
From December 1917 to January 1918, Frederick flew in airplanes as an "observer/gunner." This was a very important job! He would watch for enemy planes and fire a machine gun to protect his aircraft and pilot. He was very skilled at this. He helped take down seven enemy aircraft, and most of them were completely destroyed.
Military Medal Award
Because of his bravery and skill, Frederick Knowles was given the Military Medal. This is a special award given to soldiers for their courage in battle. His award was officially announced on April 10, 1918.
Frederick's Aerial Victories
Frederick Knowles helped achieve seven "aerial victories." This means he and his pilot successfully fought against and defeated enemy airplanes in the sky. Here is a list of his confirmed victories:
| No. | Date/time | Aircraft | Foe | Result | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 12 December 1917 @ 1030 hours |
Bristol F.2b Fighter Serial number A7202 |
Albatros D.V | Driven down out of control | Tul Keram | Pilot: Peter Roy Maxwell Drummond |
| 2 | 12 December 1917 @ 1035 hours |
Bristol F.2b Fighter s/n A7202 |
Albatros D.V | Destroyed | Northwest of Tul Keram | Pilot: Peter Roy Maxwell Drummond |
| 3 | 12 December 1917 @ 1045 hours |
Bristol F.2b Fighter s/n A7202 |
Albatros D.V | Destroyed | Wadi el Auja | Pilot: Peter Roy Maxwell Drummond |
| 4 | 14 December 1917 @ 0945 hours |
Bristol F.2b Fighter s/n A7202 |
Albatros D.V | Destroyed | North of Beit She'an | Pilot: Peter Roy Maxwell Drummond |
| 5 | 28 December 1917 @ 1600 hours |
Bristol F.2b Fighter s/n A7192 |
Two-seater aircraft | Forced to land; destroyed | Nebulus Valley | Pilot: Charles Davidson |
| 6 | 17 January 1918 @ 0920 hours |
Bristol F.2b Fighter s/n A7192 |
Two-seater aircraft | Destroyed | Kalkilieh | Pilot: Austin Lloyd Fleming |
| 7 | 17 January 1918 @ 1130 hours |
Bristol F.2b Fighter s/n A7198 |
Two-seater aircraft | Destroyed | Between Jaffa and Arsuf | Pilot: Austin Lloyd Fleming; also shared with another air crew |
