Birth

Enlistment Information

Military Service

Embarkation Information

Military Awards

Death

Biographical Notes

Alfred Hercules King was born on 9 December 1886 at McLaren Vale, South Australia, Australia, the second son and fifth child of Frederick and Mary Matilda (née Ingram) King. His father accidentally drowned on 3 January 1903 and his mother died on 21 April 1915. Not 17 years old when his father died, why shouldn’t Alfred come to New Zealand and try his luck with his four King uncles – Thomas, William, Edward and George - who had all settled in the Washdyke/Seadown area of South Canterbury before 1890? It is unlikely that Alfred knew Thomas or Edward in New Zealand, as Thomas had returned to South Australia about 1898/1901 and Edward had died in March 1906, leaving a widow and five young children (one unborn).

When Alfred signed up for service with the New Zealand Expeditionary Force, he was a cook for J. Breen, Timaru, giving his address as C/o J. Breen, Levels, Canterbury. Single and Wesleyan, he named his uncle as first next-of-kin – George King, Washdyke, Timaru, and a brother as second – Walter King, Birkenhead, Port Adelaide, South Australia. He enlisted on 21 September 1916 at Trentham and was posted (Private) to the 21st Reinforcements. Alfred had been medically examined on 17 September 1916 at Timaru. He was 5 feet 5 inches tall, weighed 134 pounds, had a chest measurement of 32-34½ inches, a dark complexion, brown eyes and dark brown hair. His sight, hearing and colour vision were all good, his limbs and chest well formed, his heart and lungs normal. He was free from illnesses, was vaccinated, and was in good bodily and mental health.

South Canterbury’s quota for the 21st Reinforcements left Timaru for camp on 20 September 1916, A. H. King with the Infantry. The men were entertained at luncheon by the Ladies’ Committee of the South Canterbury Patriotic War Relief Society in the Stafford Tea Rooms. After assembling at the Drill Shed and being address by the Mayor and the Rev. Father Herbert, they paraded to the station, accompanied by the 2nd (South Canterbury) Regimental Band, the Honorary Territorials and the High School Cadets.

Rifleman A. H. King embarked with the New Zealand Rifle Brigade, departing from Wellington per the “Waitemata” on 19 January 1917 and disembarking at Devonport on 28 March. He marched into Sling on 29 March, then marched out on 24 April to the 4th Brigade at Codford, where he was posted to the 16th Waikato Company. Alfred King’s time overseas was liberally peppered with hospital admissions. Admitted to the 3rd New Zealand General Hospital at Codford on 24 May 1917, sick with mumps, he was discharged from there on 19 June and taken on the strength of the NZ Command Depot at Codford. He marched into Sling again on 30 July 1917 before proceeding overseas to France on 20 August. There he was attached to the New Zealand Infantry and General Base Depot at Etaples on 23 August. Marching out on 3 October 1917, he joined his Unit – now the 1st Battalion, Auckland Infantry Regiment – on 11 October. It was this Unit which he rejoined from the Tunnelling Company on 19 January 1918, having been attached to the Australian Tunnellers on 19 December 1917.

Wounded on 9 February 1918 – shell contusions to chest (battle casualty), he was evacuated to the 4th New Zealand Field Ambulance and transferred to No. 2 NZ Field Ambulance the next day. Discharged to the New Zealand Reinforcements Camp on 17 February, he rejoined his Battalion on 18 February. Evacuated sick on 28 February 1918, however, he was admitted to the West Riding Field Ambulance then to No. 2 Canadian Casualty Clearing Station. The next day he was admitted to No. 56 General Hospital in France, sick – pyrexia (fever) of unknown origin. On 15 March 1918 he was admitted to No. 6 Convalescent Depot at Etaples, France, then on 19 March 1918 transferred to No. 5 Convalescent Depot at Cayeux. He was discharged on 29 March 1918 and again attached to the New Zealand Infantry and General Base Depot at Etaples. On 13 April 1918 he rejoined his Battalion from the Base Convalescent Depot [France].

But evacuated, sick, again on 23 April 1918, King was admitted to the No. 3 NZ Field Ambulance - haemorrhage of the lung. Admitted to the Casualty Clearing Station the following day, he was then admitted to No. 6 General Hospital at Rouen, France on 25 April. Rifleman A. H. King. 36457, Washdyke, appeared on casualty list published in May 1918. His was a severe case. On 28 April he had been transferred to England – severe haemoptysis. There he was admitted to the No. 1 New Zealand General Hospital at Brockenhurst the next day. A Medical Report was compiled for A. H. King, 36457, A.I.R., on 21 May 1918 at Brockenhurst. The disability in respect of which Invaliding was proposed was tubercle of lung (clinical). It originated on 23 April 1918 at the Somme, haemoptysis (sputum streaked with blood) diagnosed at the Casual Clearing Station; then on 29 April 1918 at Brockenhurst, pains in the chest but no cough and no previous history of TB. The disability was attributable to infection on Active Service during the present war. The soldier’s general condition was presently poor. Marked weakness of the chest was noted. Sputum tested negative for TB. An Xray on 1 May and examination on 7 May showed definite flattening and diminished movement of the diaphragm and shadow on the lung but no other disabilities. On 7 June 1918 he was classified permanently unfit by the Medical Board in England. The Medical Transfer Certificate from Brockenhurst in June recorded only clinical TB of the lung.

36457 Alfred Hercules King, Washdyke, embarked at Southampton on 31 July 1918 for transfer to “Marama” at Marseilles, leaving there on 7 August 1918 (phthisical). So, he returned to Timaru, New Zealand per the Hospital Ship “Marama” (Draft 175), which arrived on 20 September 1918. A dental examination on the homeward journey revealed no problems. Ten South Canterbury wounded soldiers came by the Express from Christchurch, and were met and welcomed by the Mayor, members of the Reception Committee, and a large number of the general public. From the steps of the station platform the Mayor extended a very cordial welcome home to the men and called for three cheers for them. These were heartily given, after which the soldiers were driven to their respective homes in cars which were in waiting for that purpose. A Medical Board was assembled on HM NZHS Marama on 23 September 1918, to examine and report on the state of health of A. H. King, 36457, A.I.R., of Washdyke, Timaru. His original disability was tubercle of lung (clinical), caused by Active Service conditions. Consequent disabilities included slight cough, and more, but no TB. His present disability was assessed at 100%. He did feel a lot better. His disability was likely to be permanent and it would probably be 9 more months before he was fit for civil employment. The board recommended he receive treatment as a hospital out-patient at Timaru for 28 days, that he be considered for a pension, and that he required the services of a medical attendant.

A Hospital Out-Patient Certificate was issued on 23 September 1918, ordering the soldier to report at Timaru Hospital on 24 September 1918 and receive treatment until 21 October. During this time, he was to spend every night at Washdyke. Such certificates were issued thereafter for continuous treatment until 10 February 1919. A Medical Board was assembled at the Drill Hall, Timaru, on 11 February 1919, to examine and report on the state of health of Private A. H. King, 36457, A.I.R., of Washdyke, Timaru. His original disability was tubercle of lung (clinical), caused by conditions of Active Service. Consequent disabilities included shortness of breath. He was, however, much improved. His disability was likely to be permanent, but he was fit for civil employment. The board recommended discharge from the Expeditionary Force and that he be considered for a Pension. Another Hospital Out-Patient Certificate was issued, ordering the soldier to report at Timaru Hospital on 11 February 1919 and receive treatment until 24 February. During this time, he was to spend every night at Washdyke. Alfred Hercules King was discharged on 11 March 1919, no longer physically fit for War Service on account of illness contracted on Active Service (Tubercle of lung, clinical), and was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal. All his overseas service had been in Western Europe.

Alfred King had been a labourer at Washdyke by 1911, where his Uncle George was a farmer. Sometime after his discharge, he returned to his family in South Australia. He married Jane Edith Ingram on 27 December 1929 at Willunga, South Australia. Together they had three sons - Ted, Bill and Bert – all born in the 1930s at McLaren Vale. Alfred H. King died on 23 March 1946 at Adelaide (late of McLaren Vale), aged 59 years, and was buried in Cheltenham Cemetery. He may have had a few days in Adelaide Hospital in December 1945. Jane, who was some 24 years younger than Alfred and was not mentioned in Alfred’s death notice, married again, perhaps twice. She died on 7 May 1992, aged 81 years, and was buried at Centennial Park Cemetery, Pasadena, South Australia.

So many close relatives of Alfred Hercules King saw service in both World Wars, with either the New Zealand or Australian forces. His cousin, Thomas Inman King, who was born in New Zealand, served with the Merchant Navy and drowned on 27 June 1918 when the “Llandovery Castle” was attacked by an enemy submarine. Washdyke born cousin, Frederick Carter King – son of William and Sarah Annie (née Dawe) King – served with the New Zealand Forces in World War One. An Australian cousin, Thomas Albert Price, served with the Australian Forces in World War One, while his brother, Frank Edward Price, was listed on the New Zealand Reserve Rolls, having married at St Mary’s Timaru and later been buried at Timaru. Another Australian cousin, Herbert William King, served with the Australian Forces in World War One. Yet another Washdyke born cousin, Edward Henry King – son of Edward and Ellen (née Stevenson) King – served with the New Zealand Forces in World War One and was drawn in a ballot for World War Two.

Frederick Percy McCallum and William Bramley McCallum - sons of Alfred’s New Zealand born cousin, Drusilla Jane (King) McCallum – served with the Royal Australian Air Force in World War Two, as did Mary Lillie – daughter of Alfred’s New Zealand born cousin, Ellen Agnes King; Sydney Dobier – son of another of Alfred’s New Zealand born cousins, Euphemia Mary King – served with the New Zealand Forces in World War Two, his brother Inman Alan George Dobier was drawn in a ballot; William Wilfred King, Frederick Charles King and Norman Harold King – sons of New Zealand born cousin, William Henry King – all served with the New Zealand Forces in World War Two, another brother Stanley George King being drawn in a ballot; Wilfred Evan Price – son of his cousin Frank Edward Price – served with the New Zealand Forces in World War Two, his brother James Thomas Price being drawn in a ballot; Robert Eli King – son of cousins Lottie Drucilla Price and Herbert William King – also served with the Australian Forces in World War Two; Horace Raymond Barry Standfield, Walter John Standfield, William Standfield and Allan Standfield – sons of cousin Millicent Mary Price – all served with the Australian Forces in World War Two, as did cousins Frederick James King Price, Edgar John King and Lawrence Victor Hunter Cook; John Donald Perry, Thomas Bowyer Perry and Michael Frank Perry – sons of cousin Ethel Maud King – also served with the Australian Forces in World War Two, as did Gilbert Henry King – son of cousin Gilbert King. Others had their names drawn in ballots.

Sources

Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph Database [13 August 2013]; NZ Defence Force Personnel Records (Archives NZ Ref. AABK 18805 W5541 0064443) [04 September 2016]; NZ Defence Force Personnel Records (Archives NZ Ref. AABK 18805 W5562 0132204) [04 September 2016]; Timaru Herald, 20 September 1916, 11 & 25 September 1918, Otago Daily Times, 21 March 1918, 9 September 1918, Star, 7 May 1918, Press, 8 May 1918, NZ Times, 8 May 1918, Evening Post, 7 September 1918 (Papers Past) [07 November 2014; 11 August 2016; 04 September 2016; 08 October 2020; 11 September 2023]; The Mail, Adelaide, South Australia, 23 March 1946 (trove.nla.gov.au) [21 March 2015]; South Australia Birth, Marriage, Death indexes [04 September 2016]; NZ & Australia Electoral Rolls (ancestry.com.au) [04 September 2016; 05 & 06 September 2024]; Cheltenham Cemetery record (Find A Grave) [06 September 2024]

External Links

• Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph record
• Military personnel file

Related Documents

• KING Alfred Hercules - newspaper clippings (pdf, 117.9 KB updated 24-Sep-2024)

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