Name
Robert Lembeth (poss Lambirth) King
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
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Barkway Village Memorial, St Mary Magdalene Church Memorial, Barkway, Nuthampstead Plaque, St Mary Magdalene Church, Barkway
Pre War
Only son of Tim and Ellen King, of Branksome, Poole, Dorset. Was for several years a Captain in the Church Army. Home address was 90 Church Hill Road, Upper Parkstone, Dorset. He was 5’ 7” with a 36 ½ chest. He was not married. He was examined for service in Barley (the next village to Barkway) 14/11/1914 and enlisted in Royston 17/11/1914. When he enlisted he was recorded as a resident of Upper Parkstone, Dorset.
Wartime Service
Dorchester 17/11/1914 to 1/12/1914 and moved to Wareham 2/12/1914 presumably for training. Robert embarked for France 13/7/1915. He was appointed to Lance Corporal (unpaid) 1/3/1916, but caught influenza in the field and was admitted on the 12/3/1916, 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 serjeant on 12/4/1916. He may also have been demoted. On the 28/6/1916 he was admitted to hospital, again with influenza and was transferred to Rouen two days later. His was discharged on 3/7/1916 and attached to the 1st Wiltshire Regiment 20/7/1916 in the field. With them, on 1/6/1916, he was appointed acting Corporal. Robert was wounded in the abdomen while in action on 24/8/1916. He was hospitalised on the next day and sadly died in Abbeville on the 29th.
Additional Information
Some of his effects were returned to his mother, but she wrote enquiring about his brown leather purse and his wallet containing photographs. Service record is available
Acknowledgments
Paul Johnson, Adrian Pitts
