Warrant Officer Class 1 Joseph Knowles

Joseph Knowles was born in Birmingham in February 1915.

Coming from a military background, he joined the Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry in 1932.

In 1940 Private Knowles volunteered and was selected for special duties, later qualifying for the newly formed Parachute Regiment. He attended Parachute Training Course 21 at RAF Ringway in August 1942, and was posted to the 1st Parachute Battalion.

He took part taking part in a large demonstration on Salisbury Plain, where some played the role of enemy forces and live firing was carried out. When the stick was dispatched, four men were wounded, including Pte Knowles who was shot in the leg.

In late 1942 Platoon Sergeant Knowles was posted to the 2nd Parachute Battalion under Lt Col John Frost, and was sent to North Africa by troopship Strathallen. The ship was one day out from Algiers when it was torpedoed. Platoon Sgt Knowles survived and later took part in the battle of Cork Wood, Tunisia, and the invasion of Sicily and Italy.

The Battalion returned to the UK, and on 17 September 1944 Sergeant Knowles and C Company were dropped on to Drop Zone  X at Arnhem. The 2nd Battalion, led by Lt Col Frost, reached the bridge and held the northern end of the bridge for three days, while C Company carried on into Arnhem. The Company came under heavy tank fire, and Sgt Knowles and his depleted Company were captured and taken to Stalag 18C in Austria as Prisoners of War.

The camp was liberated in 1945, and Sgt Knowles returned to the Parachute Regiment at Aldershot, where he was posted as the first Permanent Staff Instructor to the 18th Parachute Battalion in Birmingham.

After three years he took over as Regimental Sergeant Major of the 3rd Parachute Regiment in Egypt.

RSM Knowles left the service in 1960, and in 1973 emigrated to New Zealand with his family.

Joe Knowles was a committee member of the British Airborne Forces (NZ) as well as Welfare Officer for the ex POW Association and Kings Empire Veterans Association.

Joseph Knowles died in 2000 aged 85.