Victor Ernest Knight was a printer by trade and was just under twenty years old when he enlisted. He had as his next of kin his mother, Margaret, living at 13 Edmund St., Northcote, but gave as his own address as the Salvation Army Federal Training College in Victoria Parade, East Melbourne. He already had some military experience, Senior Cadets, followed by service with the Citizens' Forces 55 Infantry at Collingwood, where he was a Sergeant. He was, post-war,  to serve first as a line operator, then a Salvation Army Officer, and finally, a medical practitioner. He also served in World War 2.

Victor Knight enlisted on 21 May, 1915, and a week later left Australia on HMAT Persic A34 for England, attached to the Australian Medical Corps Motor Drivers. He was to serve in this capacity most of the war years,  transferring from unit to unit as the need arose. On 7 August 1916, he was transferred from the Australian Motor Transport section to the British Motor Transport Division. He was with the 4th Australian Division on 18 August 1916, then the No 1. Royal Flying Corps School of Military Aeronautics on 2 November,1917. On 6th January, 1918, he was taken on strength with  the  6th Training Corps, Australian Flying Corps. On 16 January, 1918,  he was taken on strength with the Australian Flying Corps, marching in from the School of Military Aeronatics. On 24 June, 1918, he was posted to the 6th Training Squadron and appointed a Flying Officer  and 2nd Lieutenant in the AFC. On 9 July, he was made Lance-Corporal and on 10 June, 1918, to be Lieutenant Pilot.

From England, he was sent to France, where he served as a pilot in the last stages of the war, with the 2nd Squadron in battle over Lille. It was a remarkable military career, from driver, to instructor,  to pilot. He married in 1927, to Ruby Neilson and began the second  phase of a remarkable life.