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Before McKnight Boulevard, there was Willie.
William “Willie” McKnight grew up in Calgary. A brilliant, rebellious young man, known as much for mischief as for talent he walked away from medical school in 1939 to join the Royal Air Force. Within a year, he would become one of Canada’s most remarkable fighter pilots.
He was the leading ace at Dunkirk, shooting down multiple aircraft in just days as Allied troops fled the beaches. In the Battle of Britain, he became Canada’s top-scoring pilot. By 23, he had destroyed 19 enemy aircraft and earned the Distinguished Flying Cross and Bar, the first Canadian in the war to do so.
But behind the victories was a restless, complicated young man. He was charismatic, impulsive, and searching for his place in the world.
This talk draws on rare photographs and personal memories from the McKnight family archive to explore both the legend and the person: the ace, and the man he was becoming before he disappeared over the English Channel in 1941, aged just 23.
Join us at 6:30pm on Tuesday, May 26.
The talk is free but you can reserve a spot by making a donation to the Historical Society of Alberta (see below).
Since 1907, the Historical Society of Alberta has supported individual researchers, authors and those who wish to know more about our history. They advocate for Alberta’s history and work in partnership with other like-minded organizations and groups.
This March, the Government of Alberta cut the funding ($76,000) for this 119 year-old organization.
You can help.
We’re hosting monthly talks delivered by members of the Historical Society on the last Tuesday of each month. The talks are free, but you can reserve a spot by making a donation below for $2 - $20.
If you’d like a tax receipt the minimum donation is $25. Please email nathan@goodcheer.beer with the subject line HISTORICAL TAX RECEIPT.
Before McKnight Boulevard, there was Willie.
William “Willie” McKnight grew up in Calgary. A brilliant, rebellious young man, known as much for mischief as for talent he walked away from medical school in 1939 to join the Royal Air Force. Within a year, he would become one of Canada’s most remarkable fighter pilots.
He was the leading ace at Dunkirk, shooting down multiple aircraft in just days as Allied troops fled the beaches. In the Battle of Britain, he became Canada’s top-scoring pilot. By 23, he had destroyed 19 enemy aircraft and earned the Distinguished Flying Cross and Bar, the first Canadian in the war to do so.
But behind the victories was a restless, complicated young man. He was charismatic, impulsive, and searching for his place in the world.
This talk draws on rare photographs and personal memories from the McKnight family archive to explore both the legend and the person: the ace, and the man he was becoming before he disappeared over the English Channel in 1941, aged just 23.
Join us at 6:30pm on Tuesday, May 26.
The talk is free but you can reserve a spot by making a donation to the Historical Society of Alberta (see below).
Since 1907, the Historical Society of Alberta has supported individual researchers, authors and those who wish to know more about our history. They advocate for Alberta’s history and work in partnership with other like-minded organizations and groups.
This March, the Government of Alberta cut the funding ($76,000) for this 119 year-old organization.
You can help.
We’re hosting monthly talks delivered by members of the Historical Society on the last Tuesday of each month. The talks are free, but you can reserve a spot by making a donation below for $2 - $20.
If you’d like a tax receipt the minimum donation is $25. Please email nathan@goodcheer.beer with the subject line HISTORICAL TAX RECEIPT.