Commemorated: | |||
| 1. Memorial: | Perth Cemetery (China Wall) | II. K. 10. | |
| 2. Book: | The (1921) Masonic Roll of Honour 1914-1918 | Pg.127 | |
| 3. Memorial: | The (1940) Scroll - WW1 Roll of Honour | 59D GQS | |
Awards & Titles: | |||
Family :
Husband of Gladys King, of Toot Hill, Mansfield, Notts.Service Life:
Campaigns:
- The First World War 1914-1918, World-wide.
| Unit / Ship / Est.: 12/Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment) |
12th (Service) Battalion (Pioneers) Formed at Derby on 1 October 1914 as part of K3 and attached as Army Troops to 24th Division. Moved to Shoreham. April 1915 : converted into Pioneer Battalion for same Division. 29 August 1915 : landed in France. |
| Action : The Battle of Messines 1917 and associated actions |
7 June - 11 July 1917. The plan at Messines was to blow up 19 mines in what was the largest man made explosion before Hiroshima, and utterly destroy the German front line along the Messines Ridge. The effect was to "liquify" the ground and create a mini earthquake, which coupled with the largest artillery preparation thus far of over 3 million shells would stun the defenders into submission. The plan largely worked and was initially very successful although the Germans did re-group and opportunities to develop the attack were lost. Casualties in this victory were 25,000.
Detail :
2nd Lieutenant Richard Henry KING, 12th Battalion KIA 27/6/17: 2nd Lieut. attached 12th Battalion The Sherwood Foresters: Killed in Action 27.6.1917: Medals not known: Buried Perth Cemetery (China Wall) II k 10, Zillebeke, Belgium. 12th Foresters were the Pioneer Battalion of 24 Div and the Bn that founded and produced the "Wipers Times" and its successors. During the period 19-30 June 1917 the 12th (Pioneer) Bn were in Sherwood Camp providing work parties every day to dig communications trenches and prepare a light railway in preparation for the opening attack of the 3rd Battle of Ypres the next month. During that period of dangerous manual labour under shellfire the Bn lost 15 KIA (including KING) and 57 WIA. Like many officers in Pioneer battalions KING was older than the average 2nd Lieut., in his case a 32 year old married man.
Probate KING Richard Henry of Mansfield Nottinghamshire second-lieutenant H.M. Army died 27 June 1917 in France Probate Nottingham 25 September to Gladys King widow James King printer and stationer and Joseph Bird solicitor. Effects £8106 12s. 11d.
Masonic :
| Type | Lodge Name and No. | Province/District : |
|---|---|---|
| Mother : | Broxtowe No. 3648 E.C. | Nottinghamshire |
Initiated | Passed | Raised |
20th January 1914 | 17th February 1914 | 16th March 1915 |
The masonic record shows that Richard was, in 1914, a 28 year old solicitor resident in Mansfield. One year of war service (w.s.) is shown for 1917 and, in the 1918 column "Killed July 1917."
Source :
The project globally acknowledges the following as sources of information for research across the whole database:
- The Commonwealth War Graves Commission
- The (UK) National Archives
- Ancestry.co.uk - Genealogy, Family Trees & Family History online
- ugle.org.uk - The records of the United Grand Lodge of England including the Library and Museum of Freemasonry
Additional Source:
- Founder Researchers : Paul Masters & Mike McCarthy
- Researcher : Bruce Littley