Who was
Augustus McKnight

Augustus Wilberforce McKnight was a Port Moody community member before he enlisted in WWI. He was born in Owen Sound, Ontario on Aug. 1, 1888, and after graduating in 1910 as a military engineer from the Royal Military College in Kingston, he travelled west to help with construction of the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway.

Eventually, he moved to Port Moody, became the city's engineer and was involved in a few associations. He was a member of the Civilian Rifle Association, tennis club, and was a local Scout master.

When the First World War began, McKnight was commissioned with the rank of lieutenant in North Vancouver's 6th Field Company Canadian Engineers. He was sent overseas with the 2nd Overseas Contingent, ending up in France and Flanders with the 4th Field Company, Divisional Engineers. Lt. Augustus Wilberforce McKnight was killed on August 6, 1916, in Belgium while overseeing trench construction near Ypres. He was buried at Reninghelst New Military Cemetery in Belgium.

Newspaper clipping – From the Owen Sound Sun June 1915.