Name
David King
1897
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
31/07/1917
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
267003
Hertfordshire Regiment
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL
Panel 54 and 56.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
N/A
UK & Other Memorials
Hemel Hempstead Town Memorial, John Dickinson & Co Memorial, Nash Mills, Hertfordshire Regimental Memorial, All Saints Church, Hertford, Not on the Apsley End memorial
Pre War
David King was born in Uxbridge, Middlesex, in early 1897, the son of William and Mary King, and one of eight children.
On the 1891 Census the family were on a canal boat at Harefield, Middlesex. His father was a Canal Boatman from Berkhamsted.
In 1911 The family were living at Durrants Hill, Apsley End, close to the wharf at Frogmore End and both David and his brother Harry were working at Nash Mills for John Dickinson & Co Ltd. His father was probably working away and was not listed with them.
The family later lived in Ebberns Road, Hemel Hempstead.
He was recorded as living in Apsley End, when he enlisted in Hertford.
Wartime Service
David was too young to enlist at the outbreak of war, but in November 1915, he and brother Harry enlisted under the Derby Scheme whereby service could be deferred, and David was called up in March 1916. Both brothers joined the Hertfordshire Regiment (David: reg. no. 5998) and trained at Bury St Edmunds. They were both posted to the 1st Battalion, No. 7 Platoon, 2 Company. They fought in the Battle of Ancre in November, soon after their arrival.
The following February, the Battalion moved to Belgium and were engaged in trenches or night time raiding parties near Ypres.
In July the Battalion attacked Pilckem Ridge. David was originally posted as missing but later confirmed as killed in action on 31 July 1918. Casualties were heavy with 459 men killed, wounded or missing during the first few hours of the attack. His brother Harry was wounded and wrote home to his family in 1918 saying " I was the last one to see David alive, but what happened that day I can hardly remember for I was nearly out of my mind."
David was only 19 years old when he died and has no known grave but his name is commemorated on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Belgium.
Additional Information
His father received a war gratuity of £7 10s and pay owing of £2 6s 7d. His mother received a pension of 6 shillings a week for life.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Jonty Wild, www.hemelheroes.com. , www.dacorumheritage.org.uk., www.hemelatwar.org.
