Air Chief Marshal Sir Michael Knight
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Air Chief Marshal Sir Michael Knight
The D Tel.carries his obituary.
Unknowingly we served at the same time in Cyprus and RAFG, but I first met him when, as a newly-promoted P Met O I reported to 1 Gp HQ Bawtry in 1981. The biggest team I had run hitherto was 3 staff, suddenly catapulted to some 12 stations' Met, about 130 folk.
Sir Mike was very kind and supportive to his rookie Met man, and ran a happy ship. The Falklands campaign saw I Gp buzzing, brilliantly led and a dedicated motivated team.
One anecdote missing from his obituary was his keen interest in Met successfully flying boomerangs outside his office window. Happy Hours could become raucous: "fetch the Bawtry song book, who can play the piano!!".
RIP sir, I forecast blue skies.
Unknowingly we served at the same time in Cyprus and RAFG, but I first met him when, as a newly-promoted P Met O I reported to 1 Gp HQ Bawtry in 1981. The biggest team I had run hitherto was 3 staff, suddenly catapulted to some 12 stations' Met, about 130 folk.
Sir Mike was very kind and supportive to his rookie Met man, and ran a happy ship. The Falklands campaign saw I Gp buzzing, brilliantly led and a dedicated motivated team.
One anecdote missing from his obituary was his keen interest in Met successfully flying boomerangs outside his office window. Happy Hours could become raucous: "fetch the Bawtry song book, who can play the piano!!".
RIP sir, I forecast blue skies.
Avoid imitations
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LB,
By coincidence I’ve been in Bawtry twice today, adjacent to the grounds of the old HQ. It looks to be in a bit of a sad state now.
By coincidence I’ve been in Bawtry twice today, adjacent to the grounds of the old HQ. It looks to be in a bit of a sad state now.
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Memories.
I vividly remember him arriving at the post-GV drinks do in the States in 1980, uttering the words "Dry old do". He immediately bought beers all round.
He later wrote me a charming letter when I retired from the Service.
I last saw him at breakfast in the RAF Club three or four years ago, when he looked in good fettle. A very fine man.
He later wrote me a charming letter when I retired from the Service.
I last saw him at breakfast in the RAF Club three or four years ago, when he looked in good fettle. A very fine man.
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My OC Fg Wg at Tengah and as AOC 1Gp in the Tower at Waddington when we (I with an Aldis) silently launched the Black Buck Vulcans to ASI.
A prodigious memeory for people and faces. AOC’s at Waddington, in the Tower, he looked at a newly arrived ATC plt off and said “Weren’t you the Stn photographer at Machrihanish last year?” In fairness,Sarah did have a memorable chest, but even so …
God speed, Sir. We clashed a couple of times, but I survived the enounters.
A prodigious memeory for people and faces. AOC’s at Waddington, in the Tower, he looked at a newly arrived ATC plt off and said “Weren’t you the Stn photographer at Machrihanish last year?” In fairness,Sarah did have a memorable chest, but even so …
God speed, Sir. We clashed a couple of times, but I survived the enounters.
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I had the pleasure of receiving my Brevet from him in the early 80s at RAF Finningley. A friend of mine who worked for him confirmed he was a 'work hard, play hard' guy and a pleasure to work for. Blue skies Sir.
I have a memory of him when he was station commander at Laarbruch, roaring into Friday Happy Hour in the OM, straight from RAF Hospital at Wegburg where his son had just been born. Drinks (x many) all round, and eventually conversation turned to a suitable name for the boy. Many suggestions, mostly totally unsuitable, until he finally announced, in a somewhat slurred way, that he was going to call him Guy, so that he could be known as Guy Fawkes Knight. I have no idea what name he ended up with, but by the end of the evening, most people no longer had any idea of what their own name was.
I had the privilege of him being my Chairman at Page Aerospace. We had about 250 employees and he knew them all by name, and something about their backgrounds. He was happy talking to anybody, regardless of rank. I went to the RIAT with him a few times. His after dinner speeches were hilarious. He was very well connected with the Royal Family, and introduced me to Prince Philip, who greeted Sir Michael with a hug. Above all he was a gentleman and immensely loyal. When Iwas under attack by our venture capital owners he defended me with such vigour that these city guys just crumbled. I last spoke to him shortly after his wife had died. He was a bit down but promised to get back on form. Great man
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We could do with a few VSOs of his calibre at the moment, could we not?
He was the Stn Cdr at Laarbruch when I was stationed there, an exceptional and highly charismatic leader who had an amazing memory for names. At that stage Laarbruch was re-equipping with Phantoms and Buccaneers and the Canberra force had been extended to cover QRA during the transition. This meant the station was huge with more than 70 jets and I, as a pilot officer, was without doubt the most junior officer around who probably barely registed on the Stn Cdr's radar. Nonetheless 5 years later he addressed me by my first name as he passed going into the officers' mess at RAF High Wycombe, quite a remarkable man
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