Name
Walter Jesse King
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
09/04/1915
20
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Drummer/Private
L/10118
The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment)
1st Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 (Mons) Star, British War and Victory Medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
LA FERTE-SOUS-JOUARRE MEMORIAL
France
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Watford Borough Roll of Honour,
St Michael and All Angels Church Memorial, Watford
Pre War
Son of Walter and Emily (nee ATKINS) KING of Watford.
His parents married 21 January 1893 at St Mary’s, Watford. Emily died 1948 in Watford aged 76, and was buried 19 November in Vicarage Road Cemetery, Watford; Walter died 27 March 1958 in Watford aged 90, and was buried 2 April, also in Vicarage Road Cemetery.
Walter was born 18 February 1895 in Watford, and baptised 15 May 1895 at St Mary’s, Watford. He attended Beechen Grove Board School, Watford, from 8 January 1907 to 18 February 1909.
On the 1901 Census, [Jesse] aged 6 he lived in Watford, with his parents and two siblings. On the 1911 Census, [William] a worker at watch factory aged 16, he still lived in Watford, with his parents and three siblings.
He was originally attested 5 March 1910 at Watford into the 1st Hertfordshire Regiment Territorial Force, for four years; a printer’s assistant aged 17, 5’5½” tall of Watford; his next-of-kin were his parents.
He re-attested 9 October 1911 at Watford for six years in the Army Reserves, now a factory hand aged 17, 5’6½” tall C of E, next-of-kin still his parents of Watford.
He next joined the regular army 26 March 1913 – 7th Royal West Kent Regiment, for five years with the Colours seven years in the Reserves; now an engineer aged 19.
Wartime Service
He served at Home 26 March 1913 to 13 August 1914, and with the B.E.F. from 14 August 1914 until his death in Germany. Meanwhile, he had been admitted to the King George Hospital, Dublin, with tonsillitis 24 April to 7 May 1913.
He was entitled to the Victory, British War and 1914 Star medals, his qualifying date being 15 August 1914, and either died or was killed in action near Mons.
Additional Information
There is an article about Walter in the Watford Illustrated dated 15 May 1915.
Acknowledgments
Sue Carter (Research) and Watford Museum (ROH on line via www.ourwatfordhistory.org.uk)
