Name
Edgar Philip King
1883
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
07/06/1916
33
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
G/52706
Royal Fusiliers *1
26th (County of London)(Service) Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Not Yet Researched
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
VOORMEZEELE ENCLOSURE NO.3
XIII. H. 7.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
PEACE PERFECT PEACE
UK & Other Memorials
Hitchin Town Memorial, St Mary's Church Roll of Honour (Book), Hitchin, Hitchin British Boys' School Memorial, Hitchin
Pre War
Edgar was born in 1883 in Hitchin and christened on 21 May 1895 at Holy Savior Church, Hitchin. his parents were Arthur John and Ellen King. He was the eldest of ten brothers and sisters and four of them also served in the armed forces.
In 1891 the family were living at 46 Nightingale Road, Hitchin. Present were both parents: Arthur (31) and Ellen (30), with Arthur and working as a joiner. Their children were: Edgar P (7), Francis C (4), Gertrude H (2) and Beatrice M at 8 months.
By 1901 the family had moved to 6 St Annes’ Road, Hitchin. Present were both parents, Arthur now recorded as a carpenter and joiner. All four children listed above were present, with Edgar now 17 and working as a domestic groom. They had been joined by Arthur (junior) (8), Mabel V (6), George W (4) and Leslie O C (1). Alice Jeeves (33) – sister-in-law and Lily Jeeves (3) – niece, were also present.
In 1911 the family were at the same address. Both parents were present, as were Edgar, now 27 and a house painter, Mabel, George and Leslie. They had been joined by new siblings Albert Edward (8) and Stanley O (6). Francis, Gertrude, Beatrice and Arthur were included, but then crossed out so it is not clear if they were present. Arthur (senior) was working as a carpenter and joiner for a builder and the census recorded they he and Ellen had been married for 28 years with 10 children, all living.
Edgar married Annie Florence Hunter (b 31/8/1885) in Huntingdon, 1916.
Officially he was recorded as born in Hitchin (St. Saviour's Parish) and was living in Hitchin when he enlisted there.
Wartime Service
Initially he served as Number 37440 in the 98th Training Battalion, but then joined the Essex Regiment on the 19th April 1916. He was transferred to the Royal Fusiliers when he arrived in France on the 9th December 1916. He was then given the Regimental Number G/52706 and served in the 26th Battalion (Bankers) of the Regiment which was part of the 124th Brigade in the 41st Division of X Corps in the 2nd Army.
He was admitted to 138th Field Ambulance on 13 February 1917 for ‘Dental (Dentures)’and transferred to on the same day 41st Divisional Rest Station.
Admitted to 4 Stationary Hospital at Arques (France) with ‘D Caries’ – believed related to his bad teeth from a sick convoy on 19 February 1917 and returned for duty on 7 March 1917.
Then on 25 April 1917 he was admitted to the 41st Divisional Rest Station, from the 138th Field Ambulance with ‘950 flat foot’ and returned for duty 2 days later.
He was reported missing on 7 June 1917 after he was last seen lying in a shell-
The date of his death coincides with the opening of the Battle of Messines when the British detonated 19 mines containing a total of one million pounds of ammonal creating gigantic craters, while the rest of the surface was covered with shell-holes full of poisonous gas. The mines were detonated at 3.10am zero hour and accompanied by a colossal artillery barrage in bright moonlight. The 26th Battalion then advanced promptly and steadily and occupied their objective, the Dammstrasse, with few casualties. There had been little resistance, but by the end of the day this had increased, and the Battalion sustained 203 casualties i.e. about a quarter of the fighting strength.
Not knowing Edgar’s fate the family made enquiries via the British Red Cross & Order Of St John Enquiry List, Wounded & Missing on 20 July 1917.
In October of 1917 the Herts mercury reported the anxiety of his parents, who had had no news, although in was a wounded soldier in hospital that had seen him next to the shell hole and who had thought that the next shell probably killed him hole and the next shell probably killed him as he was in the direct line of the German barrage.
It was not until early June 1918 that it was reported that the authorities had informed his parents and his widow that Edgar was now presumed killed in action in Belgium, however they probably still held some hope that he may still be found as prisoner of war.
After the war his body was found and re-buried in Plot 13, Row H, Grave 7 in the Voormezele Enclosure No. 3 in Belgium.
Additional Information
His widow, Mrs. A. J. King, ordered his headstone inscription while living at Hinchingbrooke Lodge, Huntingdon, it reads: “PEACE PERFECT PEACE”.
After his death £1 6s 2d was authorised to go to his widow, Annie, on 29 July 1918. Later, a war gratuity of £4 was authorised to be paid to her on 28 October 1919.
His pension cards record Annie Florence King as his widow, as his next of kin/dependant, living originally at 46 Brompton Square, London, SW3, but later updated to Hinchingbrooke Lodge, Huntingdon. One record shows her to be awarded 15s 4d a week between 11 March 1918 and 30 April 1918 and then 20s 5d a week from 1 May 1918 plus a grant of £5 on 2 April 1918. Another records a pension of 20s a week from 24 June 1918.
Other brothers were serving; Arthur John was reported in October 1917 that he had been in hospital for 8 weeks suffering with shell shock and was back in hospital after wounds to his face by shrapnel. Francis C was in Canadian hospital with shrapnel wounds to his knee and George W was in Salonika.
*1 Believed more correctly, (County of London) Bn. London Regiment (Bankers).
Acknowledgments
Adrian Dunne, David C Baines, Jonty Wild
