Clayton Knight

Clayton Knight
Born March 30, 1891
Rochester, New York
Died July 17, 1969 (aged 78)
Danbury, Connecticut
Allegiance American
Service/branch U.S. Army Signal Corps
Years of service 1917-1918
Awards Order of the British Empire
Spouse(s) Katherine Sturges Dodge
Other work Founder of the Clayton Knight Committee; artist, illustrator, and writer

Clayton Knight (1891-1969) was an aviator during World War I. He was also an aviation artist and illustrator. He is known for being one of the founders of the Clayton Knight Committee.

Early Life and Education

Rochester, New York was Knight's birthplace. He went to school at the Art Institute of Chicago under famous artists, Robert Henri and George Bellows, from 1910 to 1913.[1][2] In early 1917, Knight's career as an artist in New York City was flourishing.[2]

World War I

In 1917, Knight volunteered for the U.S. Army Signal Corps. He was most interested in becoming an aviator. Along with 150 other American pilots, Knight was shipped off to England for training during 1917. In total, 2,500 pilots-in-training were transported to France and England. This was done to accelerate the pace of training.[1] He started his training with the No.44 Squadron of the Royal Flying Corps, which was formed in Essex on July 24, 1917. This particular squadron achieved its first triumph on January 28, 1918.[1] Knight also flew with the 206 squadron of the Royal Flying Corps, and subsequently, the Royal Air Force.[3] He served the British Second Army in France.[4]

On October 5, 1918, Oberleutnant Harald Auffarth fired at Knight's plane causing it to crash. Knight was flying a British Havilland 9. Although hurt, Knight survived the crash landing on German territory. At the time the war wrapped up, Knight was a POW at a German clinic. He was able to recuperate at a British ward.[1]

Career

An example of his work for House & Garden in 1922

Artwork and Writing

After his recovery, Knight continued his career as an aviation artist. He exhibited his artwork at Associated American Artists. It is possible that his acquisition of airplane art, which he started acquiring in 1928, may be the most extensive collection of airplane art. Knight became known for his illustrations in aviation books.[1] He also illustrated for The New Yorker.[5]

Knight and his wife were also illustrators of children's books, and often collaborated. He wrote and illustrated a few We Were There books, which were historical novels for children. This particular series was written as a fictional retelling of a historical event, featuring kids as the primary characters. He wrote and illustrated, We Were There...at the Normandy Invasion, We Were There...with the Lafayette Escadrille, and We Were There...at the Battle of Britain, the latter written with his wife.[6] Both Knight and his wife were illustrators for the P.F. Volland Company, most known for publishing children's books. Knight's children's book, The Non-Stop Stowaway: The Story of a Long Distance Flight (1928) was published under the Buzza Company imprint.[7][8]

Knight was the author, co-author, and/or illustrator of many other books including:[9]

Clayton Knight Committee

Knight formed The Clayton Knight Committee in 1940 with Billy Bishop. Knight was living in Greenwich Village at the time. Its mission was to bring Americans to Canada in order to prepare and fight for the Allies during the time of U.S. neutrality. The committee was funded by Homer Smith, and assisted by pro-war German émigrés.[1] Essentially it worked as a secret and illegal recruitment company. From 1939 to 1942, Knight's "job" was "Special Correspondent for the Associated Press." This was a cover for his main job, working for The Clayton Knight Committee.[4] Bishop spent most of 1940 in London with Winston Churchill, which meant Knight had to set up office and find new partners during this time. Their original headquarters was in the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York. It eventually expanded to Spokane, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Dallas, Kansas City, Cleveland, Atlanta, Memphis, and San Antonio.[1]

Later Years

The Clayton Knight Committee was terminated in May 1942. Between 1943 and 1945, Knight was an official artist for the United States Air Force in Alaska, Aleutian Islands, and the Central Pacific. He worked also as an historian.[9] His original artwork, personal diaries, and documents from the wars are held in the Air Force University Library and Historical Branch.[3]

On July 10, 1946, he was honored with the Order of the British Empire for his service to England in World War I and World War II.[3]

Personal life

Knight's wife was Katherine Sturges Dodge, a fellow illustrator, artist, and designer. Their son, Hilary Knight, is the illustrator of the Eloise (books) series of children's books.[1]

Clayton Knight died on July 17, 1969 in Danbury, Connecticut.[1][3]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 "Clayton Knight". annexgalleries.com. Retrieved 24 February 2015.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Kilduff, Peter (2010). "Clayton Knight: A Yank in the RFC/RAF" (PDF). Cross and Cockade International: The First War Aviation Historical Society, Quarterly Journal 41 (3). Retrieved 24 February 2015.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Simonsen, Clarence. "The Clayton Knight Committee". bombercommandmuseum.ca. Retrieved 24 February 2015.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Clayton Knight". askart.com. Retrieved 24 February 2015.
  5. ↑ "The New Yorker Cover- April 17, 1926". condenaststore.com. Retrieved 25 February 2015.
  6. ↑ "We Were There Series". exodusbooks.com. Retrieved 25 February 2015.
  7. ↑ "Knight, Clayton". betweenthecovers.com. Retrieved 25 February 2015.
  8. ↑ "Volland Publishers". alephbet.com. Retrieved 25 February 2015.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 "Knight, Clayton papers. 1939-1980". afhra.af.mil. Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 25 February 2015.

Further reading