Military History

King was sent to Broad Meadows, Vic for training.
Embarked Melbourne per ‘Aeneus’ A60 for UK 30.10.1917.
Roll Rank Private
Roll Unit 27th Reinforcements, 11th Battalion, Australian Imperial Force (AIF).
King disembarked with the 11th Battalion 27th Reinforcements at Devonport 20.12.1917. They marched in to Sutton Veny to the 2nd Training Battalion 27.12.1918 and underwent a period of intensive training. King transferred to a Reinforcement of the 51st Battalion and proceeded overseas to France via Dover 1.4.1918. He joined his new unit 4.4.1918 and was taken on strength 6.4.1918, after the battle of Dernacourt.  The 51st was involved in the defence of a bridge at Ancre  and on April 25th received instructions to counter attack enemy positions at Villers-Bretonneux. The 51st  Bn. met with 100 yards of their own wire entanglement and had heavy losses inflicted on them from enemy Machine Gunners located in the nearby Bois de Aquenne. Between 24-27 April 1918, the 51st had KIA 76 Officers and men, 253 wounded and 60 missing. (AWM War Diary 51st Bn)  King was KIA 27.4.1918. The family was sent a photograph of a memorial cross on his grave at Villers-Bretonneux. He is commemorated at Villers-Bretonneux Cemetery, Villers-Bretonneux, Picardie, France.
Final Rank Private, 51st Battalion Australian Imperial Force (AIF).
Medical Condition Deceased KIA.
Awards and Medals British War Medal, Victory Medal.
Notes He was the third son of Henry Sanford King and Dorothea (nee Lefroy) His Father was Under sec. for Mines 1894-7 and  Surveyor general 1918. King was one of 6 children. His sister Ruby Helena King, became a landscape architect and one of the first women councillors on the Guildford Municipal Council.
Photos HMAT 'Aeneus'. Photograph source State Library NSW image a636033r
             Villers-Bretonneux, ruined church 1918. Photographer unknown, photograph source AWM E02157
             Villers-Bretonneux Australian Memorial, dedicated in 1938. Photographer unknown, photograph source H17454
             Villers-Bretonneux Military Cemetery.  Photographer unknown, photograph source CWGC

Information Source
AWM E02157. Villers-Bretonneux, ruined church 1918. Photographer unknown, photograph sourced from the Pictorial Collection of the Australian War Memorial
AWM H17454. Villers-Bretonneux Australian Memorial, dedicated in 1938. Photographer unknown, photograph sourced from the Pictorial Collection of the Australian War Memorial
AWM Embarkation Roll John Douglas King
AWM Roll of Honour- John Douglas King
AWM4-23/68/26. War Diary of the 51st Infantry Battalion. April 1918
CWGC. Villers-Bretonneux Military Cemetery.  Photographer unknown, photograph source CWGC  website, http://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/63701/VILLERS-BRETONNEUX%20MILITARY%20CEMETERY
Guildford Primary School Honour Roll
Guildford Grammar School Honour Roll
Guildford Grammar School War Memorial
Guildford War Memorial
NAA: B2455, King J D
St Matthew’s Honour Roll.
St Matthew’s-Fallen
SLNSW image a636033r.HMAT 'Aeneus'. Photograph sourced from th State Library of NSW Pictorial Collection
West Australian Newspaper
Wise H. and Coy. Western Australian Post Office Directories. SLWA

61 Helena Street, Guildford. WA.

Associated Images