Roy Walden King

Roy Walden King

Personal Information
Date of Birth	not known 1890
Place of Birth	North Carlton, Melbourne, Victoria
Death	1966
Place of Death	Perth, Western Australia
Age at Enlistment	25 years, 4 months
Description	5'7½" (1.m) tall ; 152 lbs 68.946 kg ; fresh complexion ; blue eyes ; brown hair
Occupation	Clerical accountant
Religion	Presbyterian
Address	'Valencia', Mundijong, Western Australia
Next of Kin	Wife , Mrs Elizabeth King
Military Information
Reg Number	2439
Date of Enlistment	25 Jan 1916
Rank	Private
Unit/Formation	51st Battalion, 5th reinforcement / 13th Brigade, 4th Division
Date of Embarkation	20 Sep 1916 ‒ 15 Nov 1916
Ship Embarked On	HMAT A66 Uganda
Date of Return	21 Jul 1918 ‒ 11 Sep 1918
Ship Returned On	HMAT A36 Boonah
Fate	Wounded in Action 9 Jun 1917 Messines Returned to Australia
Monument	Mundijong Honour Roll ANZAC Memorial Park (Byford)
Medals	British War Medal Victory Medal Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal

Pre War

Electoral Roll entry - 1914 'Thornbury' Marmion street, Cottesloe

War Service

A fortnight after entering the Blackboy Hill camp, Roy was allocated to the 16th reinforcement draft for the 11th Battalion. However, on 1 Apr 1916 this was changed to the 12th draft for the 28th Battalion, and on 1 May 1916 changed again to the 5th draft for the 51st Battalion.

A week after joining the 51st Battalion reinforcements he was sent to NCO school.

On arrival in England he spent less than a month in training before proceeding overseas to France on 12 Dec 1916 through Folkestone aboard HMT Arundel.

On arrival in France he was quickly sent on to join the 51st Battalion on 19 Dec 1916, doing so at Vignacourt along with 78 others. On 2 Apr 1917 he was appointed Lance Corporal before reporting to the 9th Casualty Clearing Station sick on 11 Apr 1917. Roy rejoined the battalion on 27 Apr 1917 from hospital in time to join the battalion's attack on Messines Ridge where he was wounded in action on 9 Jun 1917.

Although the battalion was the Brigade's Reserve Battalion, and played only a minor part in the battle as a unit, her B and C Companies were used to reinforce the 52nd Battalion, while A and D companies reinforced the 49th Battalion. (On the night of 8 Jun these were changed to A and C with the 49th Battalion and B and D Companies with the 52nd Battalion.) Casualties seem to be mainly associated with holding the position won from the Germans, and by the night of the day that Roy was wounded, the battalion's casualties were 24 Killed, and 79 wounded with 4 missing in action.

Treated by the 77th Field Ambulance, Roy was sent to the 1st South African General Hospital at Abbeville and then on 14 Jun 1917 Roy was embarked on HMHS Grantully Castle for England suffering with a wound to his right arm. The next day he was admitted to the Richmond Military Hospital. A period of furlough followed from 24 Aug to 7 Sep 1917 before he reported for general duties at No.4 Command Depot in Hurdcott on 13 Nov 1917. On 1 Mar 1918 he was promoted Corporal, before being sent to No 2 Command Depot in Weymouth. Suffering with Otitis Media (inflammation of middle ear) he was treated at King George's Hospital, London before being marked to be sent home. On 19 Jul 1918 he was promoted temporary Sergeant so that he could act as Pay Sergeant aboard the troopship returning to Australia.

Post War

Roy married Emily Elizabeth Eyles in Peth during 1922. Electoral Roll entries - 1925 - 1963 at 29 Angelo street, South Perth, clerk and delivery superintendent.

Notes

The Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal was established in 1953 and was awarded to Commonwealth citizens who had participated at her coronation or had given exceptional community service. A total of 11,561 were awarded to Australians.

Brother of Edward Joseph King

External Links

• AIF Project
• RSL Virtual War Memorial