Name
Robert Lambirth King
1889
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
28/08/1916
27
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Corporal
12461
Dorsetshire Regiment
6th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
ABBEVILLE COMMUNAL CEMETERY
V. B. 17.
France
Headstone Inscription
UNTIL THE DAY BREAK AND THE SHADOWS FLEE AWAY MOTHER
UK & Other Memorials
Barkway Village Memorial, St Mary Magdalene Church Memorial, Barkway, Nuthampstead Plaque, St Mary Magdalene Church, Barkway, St Mary's Church Memorial, Reed, St Mary's Church ROH, Reed, St Aldhelm's Church Memorial, Branksome, Dorset,
Pre War
Robert Lambirth King was born in Bourne Valley, Branksome, Poole, Dorset in 1889, the only son of Tim and Ellen King, and was baptised on 3 October 1890 at St Aldhem's Church, Branksome.
On the 1891 Census the family were living at Surrey Road, Bourne Valley, Poole, Dorset, where his father was working as a platelayer for the London & South Western Railway. By 1911, 21 year old Robert had moved to Nottinghamshire and was a boarder at the home of William and Harriett Saunders at 32 Moorbridge Lane, Stapleford. He gave his occupation as Evangelist working for the Church Army. (It was later reported that for several years he was a Captain in the Church Army).
At the time of enlistment he was unmarried and his home address was said to be 90 Church Hill Road, Upper Parkstone, Dorset. His parents later lived at Branksome, Poole, Dorset.
Wartime Service
He enlisted in Royston, Herts on 17 November 1914 and joined the Dorsetshire Regiment. He was 5’ 7” with a 36 ½ chest and had been examined for service on 14 November 1914 in Barley (the next village to Barkway). He trained in Wareham, Dorset from 2 December 1914 and embarked for France on 13 July 1915.
He was appointed to Lance Corporal (unpaid) on 1 March 1915 and caught influenza in the field on 12 March 1915 but returned to duty the next day. Thirteen days later he was appointed to Lance Corporal (paid). His service was not totally blemish free as he was reprimanded for neglect of duty in the field while acting as orderly sergeant on 12 April 1916. He may also have been demoted.
On 28 June 1916 he was admitted to hospital, again with influenza and was transferred to Rouen two days later, being discharged on 3 July 1916 and attached to the 1st Battalion, Wiltshire Regiment in the field on 20 July 1916. He was soon after appointed acting Corporal.
Robert was wounded in the abdomen while in action on 24 August 1916. He was hospitalised the next day but sadly died in Abbeville on the 28th. He is buried in Abbeville Communal Cemetery, Somme France.
Additional Information
His mother received a war gratuity of £9 and pay owing of £13 15s 0d. A pension card exists but gives no details of the amount of pension paid.
Some of his effects were returned to his mother, but she wrote enquiring about his brown leather purse and his wallet containing photographs.
N.B. His mother's maiden name was Lambirth, however the name is often mistakenly recorded as 'Lambeth'.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Paul Johnson, Adrian Pitts
