Name
Ernest King
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
13/02/1919
19
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
42586
North Staffordshire Regiment
4th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
TRING CEMETERY
F. 64.
United Kingdom
Headstone Inscription
No Report
UK & Other Memorials
Tring Town Memorial, St Peter & St Paul Church Roll of Honour, Tring, John Dickinson & Co Memorial, Apsley Mills, Apsley, We are not aware of any Bulbourne memorial
Pre War
Ernest King was born in Pitstone, Bucks in 1899 to Joseph King, labourer, and Susannah (nee Bierton).
On the 1901 Census Ernest’s mother Susanne (or Susannah) is recorded with Albert (born 1898) and Ernest at Stank Lane, Pitstone, Bucks.
On the1911 Census the family of parents, Albert. Ernest and Hilda Sybil (born 1903) were living at 7, Yew Row, Aldbury, Tring.
Wartime Service
No Service Record was found for Ernest. His Medal index Card records a Service number of Leicestershire Regiment in addition to the North Staffordshire Regiment Number of 42586. It may be that he was allocated to the Leicestershires for training before being posted to 4th(Extra Reserve) Battalion., North Staffs as a replacement. 4th Battalion were by 3 Feb 1918 in 1015 Brigade of 35 Division and were in the Ypres Sector to take part in the Final Advance in Flanders. Ernest was wounded during one of the actions in Oct 1918 – Coutrai (14-19 Oct) and Tieghem (31 Oct). He was evacuated to UK and treated at Combe Lodge Hospital, where although recovering from his wounds he died on 13 Feb 1919 officially pneumonia but may have been Spanish Flu.
This from the Bucks Herald, 1st March 1919: “ROLL OF HONOUR. − We regret to hear that the Roll of Honour of Tring men who have given their lives in the war has passed 100. It is our sad duty this week to record the deaths of yet two more local men. − Ernest King, North Staffordshire Regiment, had done 12 months service, joining up when he was 18 years of age, and was quickly sent over to France. He was badly wounded, was brought home to England, and for a period had been in hospital. It was hoped he would make a full recovery, but pneumonia supervened, and he died on Feb 13. His remains were brought to Tring and laid to rest in the new cemetery, military honours being accorded by a party from Halton Camp. The last service was conducted by the Vicar (Rev. H. Francis).”
From the Parish Magazine, Holy Week, 1919: “Ernest King, North Staffordshire Regt, joined twelve months ago, and crossed for France on Easter Day 1918. [31st March] He was soon in action, and later on was badly wounded. He was brought to England and received every care and attention at Combe Lodge, Great Warley, Near Brentwood in Essex, and great hopes were entertained for his recovery, but pneumonia carried him off on 13 February. His body was brought to Tring and laid to rest in our cemetery with Military honours on 20 February.”
Additional Information
Arrears totalling £26 6s 5d including £9 10s War Gratuity was paid to his mother.
Acknowledgments
Neil Cooper
Jonty Wild
