Herbert William King

Born 4 Aug 1881 - Died 21 Feb 1917

Service number: WWI 22513 AWMM
Also known as: —
Armed force / branch: Army AWMM
Last rank: WW1 Captain/Military AWMM Auckland Infantry Regiment, 2nd Battalion AWMM
War: World War I, 1914-1918 AWMM

Herbert William King — Portrait of H. W. King. Auckland Grammar School chronicle. 1917, v.5, n.1. Image has no known copyright restrictions. No Known Copyright Restrictions

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Biographical information

Herbert William King was born at Flaxton, Canterbury, in 1881, the youngest son of Joseph and Jane King of Christchurch. His family moved to Christchurch when he was about five years old. He attended East Christchurch School and Christchurch Boys’ High School before matriculating and training as a teacher.

King gained experience teaching in schools in Christchurch and Wellington. In 1909 he joined the secondary department of Greytown District High School. While teaching, he continued his university studies at Canterbury University College and Victoria University College, where he represented the university in senior football and hockey. He later attended Auckland University College and completed a Bachelor of Arts before joining the staff of Auckland Grammar School.

At Auckland Grammar School, King took an active role in school life, particularly in athletics, sports meetings and cadet training. The Auckland Grammar School Chronicle recalled his organisational ability, enthusiasm and aptitude for working with boys. A keen sportsman, he excelled in running, cricket, football, tennis and hockey.

King had completed about fifteen years of continuous service in the Territorial Force before World War I. Following the outbreak of war, he transferred from the 3rd Auckland Infantry Regiment to the New Zealand Expeditionary Force and embarked with the 16th Reinforcements.

He served with the 2nd Battalion, Auckland Infantry Regiment, on the Western Front. Soon after joining the battalion in France, he was given command of a company. Writing to Daisy Stodel in January 1917, King described the importance of receiving letters in the trenches, reflected on life and remembrance, and wrote about the severe winter, football behind the lines and the keepsakes she had sent him (Letter to Daisy Stodel, 17 January 1917: MS-2002-108; Letter to Daisy Stodel, 22 January 1917: MS-2002-108).

In his final surviving letter to Daisy, dated 14 February 1917, King wrote that his father had died since he left New Zealand. He also referred to the death of his wife the previous year and reflected on continuing with life despite personal loss (Letter to Daisy Stodel, 14 February 1917: MS-2002-108).

On 21 February 1917, King commanded one of four companies that took part in a raid on the German lines. The Auckland Grammar School Chronicle recorded that he led his company successfully through the German trenches before being killed by shellfire. It remembered him as a calm and courageous officer who placed the welfare of his men before his own.

Auckland War Memorial Museum Tāmaki Paenga Hira holds the Daisy Stodel papers (MS-2002-108), which include fifteen letters exchanged between King and Daisy Stodel, together with photographs and related material. Examples of the correspondence are available to view digitally through Pou Kanohi New Zealand at War.

King is buried at Y Farm Military Cemetery, Bois-Grenier, France. He is commemorated on the Auckland Grammar School War Memorial, in the Auckland War Memorial Museum World War I Hall of Memories, and at Pukekohe Intermediate School, where memorial stones and roses preserve the memory of those who served.

Next of kin: Mr J. King, Hereford Street, Christchurch (Roll of Honour, Auckland Province 1914–1918, Volume 1). AWMM

Sources

External links: Burton, O. (1922). The Auckland Regiment. Wellington, Whitcombe and Tombs. Digital copy
http://www.nzetc.org/tm/scholarly/tei-WH1Auck.html
Sources Used
Births, Deaths and Marriages (New Zealand) Historical Records online
https://www.bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz
Sources Used
Military personnel file
https://collections.archives.govt.nz/web/arena/search/#/entity/aims-archive/R18057261
Further Reference
Other military personnel file
https://collections.archives.govt.nz/web/arena/search/#/entity/aims-archive/R7880302
Further Reference
Heritage New Zealand. The New Zealand Heritage List- War Memorial, Auckland Grammar School.
http://www.heritage.org.nz/the-list/details/4472
Further Reference
Auckland University College Roll of Honour.
http://www.specialcollections.auckland.ac.nz/ww1-centenary/roll-of-honour/search?page=763
Further Reference
A Street Near You record
https://astreetnearyou.org/person/193256/-
Further Reference
Commonwealth War Graves Commission Casualty record
https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/193256
Further Reference
References: Connolly, A., & Stanes, P. Rememberance: Auckland Grammar School Great War Roll of Honour. Vols 1 & 2. Auckland: Petand Prodctions.
New Zealand Army Expeditionary Force. (1917). Nominal Rolls of New Zealand Expeditionary Force Volume II. Wellington, N.Z.: Govt. Printer.
38: 6
Ahier, William Roland. War diary, 1917. Auckland War Memorial Museum Library. MS 2004/76.
p. 129 February 1917; 23 February 1917
Stodel, Daisy. Papers, 1916 - 1919. Auckland War Memorial Museum Library. MS 2002/108.
Mentioned in letters between King and Daisy Stodel, 1916-1917.
Burton, O. (1922). The Auckland regiment : being an account of the doings on active service of the First, Second and Third Battalions of the Auckland Regiment. Wellington, N.Z.: Whitcombe & Tombs.
Burton, O. (1922). p 123f
Auckland Grammar School Chronicle. Auckland, N.Z.: Auckland Grammar School.
Auckland Grammar School chronicle. 1919, Second term. pp.9-10
Franklin county news
Alexander, E. (2 March 2006). Memorial Stones ceremony organised. Franklin County News.
Miller, R. (Ed.). (2012). Pukekohe's memorial stones. Auckland, N.Z.: Franklin Historical Society.
Auckland Grammar School Chronicle. Auckland, N.Z.: Auckland Grammar School.
Obituary: Auckland Grammar School Chronicle. 1917.
A.U.C. roll of honour, 1914 - 1920. MSS & Archives E-2, Special Collections, University of Auckland Libraries and Learning Services.
Beattie, P.J. & Pomeroy, M. (2013-2020). Onward : portraits of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force (vols 1-5). Auckland, New Zealand: Fair Dinkum Publications
Vol. 1: Includes portrait
Roll of Honour, Auckland Province (digital copy), 1914 - 1919. Auckland War Memorial Museum Library. MS-2016-2.

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Herbert William King