Name:
Captain Ben Knight
Species:
Human
Place of Origin:
Earth
Affiliated With:
Parachute Regiment
1st Battalion
Special Forces Support Group
First Seen In:
The Web of Fear
Appearances:
The Ambush!
The Forgotten Son
The Schizoid Earth
The Web of Time
Main Actor:
Ralph Watson
Captain Ben Knight, was an officer in 1 PARA under Colonel Pemberton. In August 1968, he was among the men who transported a special rock of alien origin, and his performance there led him to be enlisted by Pemberton for the newly commissioned Special Forces Support Group (created as a joint effort by the RAF, Royal Marines and Parachute Regiment). (Mind of Stone)
Knight crossed paths with River Song while she was trying to recover a valuable painting that was lost in February 1969. Mistaking her for a civilian, Knight attempted to evacuate her from the city only to be caught up in River’s own skirmish with the Yeti and the Intelligence. After the incident, River erased his memories. (The Web of Time)
The Special Forces Support Group was called in to deal with evacuation of London and Knight took part in the fight against the Great Intelligence and its Robot Yeti in the London Underground. He later went with the Second Doctor to the surface to find several electronic components The Doctor required, but Knight was attacked and killed by a Yeti. (The Web of Fear) His nickname was ‘Little Spence’, due to the mentorship of Pemberton. (The Ambush!)
In an alternative timeline, he survived the Yeti incursion of the Underground, but died two weeks later at the hands of Yeti in Croydon, while protecting Victoria Waterfield. (Legacies)
On the Inferno Earth, he rose to the rank of lieutenant, and served under Major James Lethbridge-Stewart. He went on to be a member of the Republican Security Forces. (The Schizoid Earth)
BEHIND THE SCENES
Originally Nicholas Courtney was cast to portray Knight, however, David Langton, who was to play Colonel Lethbridge-Stewart, gave up the role to accept anotherofferof work. Director Douglas Camfield recast Ralph Watson in the role of Captain Knight and gave the Colonel’s part to Courtney.
His full name was established in The Ambush!.