John McKnight

He embarked as a private in the infantry of the New Zealand Army (23rd Battalion, 5th Brigade of the 6th Reinforcements of the 2nd NZ Expeditionary Force) on 27 Jun 1941 - from Wellington to Egypt. As the NZ infantry attacked the enemy forces at Ruweisat ridge during the First Battle of El Alamein in Egypt, he was among 350 of them that were captured on 15 Jul 1942 when they were caught in the open against superior forces, including armour. He was then a prisoner of war in Italy. The Italian government signed an armistice with allies on 3 Sep 1943. When this was announced, the guards at John's camp (at Aquafredda, near Sulmona, Abruzzo) deserted. He and the other prisoners then headed for the hills, hid from German forces and attempted to find and contact allied forces. On 27 Oct 1943 It was heard he was finally safely with the allies. He then arrived back in NZ on 6 Jan 1944 and was discharged on 29 May 1944. Service number: WWII 18969. He was buried in Andersons Bay Cemetery, Dunedin.

• Auckland Museum Online Cenotaph, John McKnight, https://www.aucklandmuseum.com/war-memorial/online-cenotaph/record/...
• "Births, Deaths & Marriages Online", [digital index], New Zealand Department of Internal Affairs (www.bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz), Death Registration of "John McKnight". Death certificate 1981/37112.