Dawlish World War One Project

He joined the Royal Navy in 1900 as an Assistant Clerk (Paymaster’s Branch) and was promoted to Clerk in July 1901, to Assistant Paymaster in October 1903, a rank that he held until retirement in 1913.

He then joined the Gloucestershire Regiment, 13th Battalion, in August 1914 in the rank of Captain, but resigned in 1916 when he enlisted with the Coldstream Guards as a Private, no 17806. He served with the BEF in France from March 1916 and was promoted in the field “for courage in the trenches”. He was gazetted 2nd Lieutenant, Devonshire Regiment on 26 June 1917, and was then attached to the 6th (Territorial) Battalion the King’s (Liverpool Regiment).
He was killed in action on the Menin Road on 20th September 1917. The Colonel wrote “He had not been with us long, but we all took to him at once, and I am certain he was a very fine soldier, and a great loss.”

On 20th September 1917 the 9th Division attacked at 0540 with the 27th and South African Brigades. The front line was east of the village of Frezenburg and along the line of the Frezenburg Ridge and the attack was in the direction of Zonnebeke 2400 yards away, although the final objective that day included the capture of Zonnebeke and Bremen Redoubts some 800 yards from the start line. Hanebeek Wood was quickly taken and the 27th Brigades’ final objective the Zonnebeke Redoubt the enemy made no show of strength and 40 prisoners were taken.

Charles Frederick King came from a family based in Gillingham, Dorset until his father became a school master in Dawlish.

James Frederick King married Frances Mary Nicholls in 1881 (GRO ref Newton Abbot, 1881, Apr-Jun, Vol 5b, page 214). Frances was the daughter of Joseph Nicholls of White Hall, Handsworth, Birmingham.

Charles Frederick King was baptised at St Gregory the Great, Dawlish on 10th December 1882. (Birth ref GRO Q4, 1882, vol 5b, page 122) It may be supposed that James had taken a post at a Dawlish school.

The 1891 census shows the family at 3 Longlands, and James F King is an Elementary School teacher. The family comprised James Frederick King, 35, Frances, his wife, 28, Charles Frederick, 8, Winifred Mary, 6, Eileen Dorothy, 4, Muriel, 2, and Ethel M, 5 months.

Charles Frederick King was educated at Dawlish Boys’ School and is recorded on their Roll of Honour.