The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (402869) Flight Lieutenant Barrington Armitage Knyvett, No. 460 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force, Second World War.

The Last Post Ceremony is presented in the Commemorative area of the Australian War Memorial each day. The ceremony commemorates more than 102,000 Australians who have given their lives in war and other operations and whose names are recorded on the Roll of Honour. At each ceremony the story behind one of the names on the Roll of Honour is told. Hosted by Troy Clayton, the story for this day was on (402869) Flight Lieutenant Barrington Armitage Knyvett, No. 460 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force, Second World War.

402869 Flight Lieutenant Barrington Armitage Knyvett, No. 460 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force
Killed in flying battle 2 January 1942

Today we pay tribute to Flight Lieutenant Barrington Armitage Knyvett.

Barrington Knyvett was born on 30 November 1915 in the Sydney suburb of Manly, the son of Edmund and Edith Knyvett.

The young Barrington spent most of life in Leadville in the Warrumbungle shire of New South Wales where the Knyvett family ran a farm, Dhu Robin.

Barrington worked alongside his father and brother as a grazier. He was well known and respected in the district for his many years as a steward in the horse section of the Dunedoo Show.

Following the outbreak of the Second World War, Knyvett enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force. Following his call up for duty on 11 November 1940, Knyvett commenced training as a pilot, first at Bradfield Park, then at Narromine.

In April 1941, he embarked for overseas service, first to Canada, where he completed his pilot training at McLeod, Alberta, and then Britain.

As part of the Empire Air Training Scheme, he was one of almost 27,500 RAAF pilots, navigators, wireless operators, gunners, and engineers, who, throughout the course of the war, joined Royal Air Force squadrons or Australian squadrons based in Britain.

After his arrival in Britain he undertook further specialist training to become a bomber before being posted in December 1941 to No. 150 Squadron, Royal Air Force. Part of Bomber Command the squadron was equipped with Vickers Wellingtons.

Knyvett flew a full tour with No. 150 Squadron, and took part in a number of the “thousand bomber raids” and other operations bombing targets in the Ruhr valley.

For his service with No. 150 Squadron, Knyvett was awarded a Distinguished Flying Cross. His citation read:
This officer has a fine record of achievement. Throughout his tour his courage, skill and determination in action have been an inspiration to his crew. He has taken part in many raids of heavily defended areas of the Ruhr, pressing home his attacks with the utmost determination and with complete disregard for any opposition or for his own personal safety. His unconquerable spirit, coupled with fine leadership, has a set a magnificent example.

He received his award from King George VI at a ceremony at Buckingham Palace in December 1942.
That month he commenced a period as a flight instructor, a role he continued until he returned to operational duties in December 1943 with No. 460 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force.

No. 460 Squadron would become the most highly decorated Australian squadron in Bomber Command, and the squadron that suffered the highest casualties. Flying twin-engined Vickers Wellington medium bombers and then four-engined Avro Lancaster heavy bombers, the squadron lost over 1,000 men: Australian, British, Canadians, New Zealanders and South Africans. Almost 600 Australians from 460 Squadron are listed here on the Roll of Honour.

On the night of 2 January 1942, the Lancaster in which Knyvett was pilot was took off from RAF Binbrook to take part in a large raid on Berlin. Just after take-off, the aircraft – fully laden with bombs for the mission ahead – banked sharply and dived into the ground, exploding on impact.
Knyvett, and all six of his fellow crewmates were killed.

Knyvett was 28 years old.

Today the Australian members of the crew are buried side by side in the RAF plot at Cambridge cemetery.
Knyvett’s name is listed on the Roll of Honour on my left, among some 40,000 Australians who died while serving in the Second World War.

This is but one of the many stories of service and sacrifice told here at the Australian War Memorial. We now remember Flight Lieutenant Barrington Armitage Knyvett, who gave his life for us, for our freedoms, and in the hope of a better world.

Lachlan Grant
Historian, Military History Section