Lieut James Edward King

[Guest Ray_King]

I am attempting to trace my great grandfather's military career, Lieut James Edward King 5031

I have in my possession amongst other medals a Belgian Croix de Guerre, but I do not know what he was awarded it for. He served with the Royal Garrison Artillery 1/1 North Midland.

This is the relevant information I have found out to date –

4 March 1915 Le Havre

3 August 1915 Rouen

9 September 1915 Commissioned in the field

I am trying to find out the movements of the 1/1 North Midland in 1915.

So can anyone advise me how I can do this and are there any lists of Croix DE Guerre awards etc.

I have tried the London Gazette but the only information I have found from that source is his discharge from the army in 1920 and later still an award of an M.B.E.

Thanks in anticipation

Ray King

[HarryBettsMCDCM]

If his Croix de Guerre was Gazetted try putting in just Edward King,it may be printed on a split line,there are 27 Edward King Promulgations for 1914~20,for various gazettings. There is a very large Volume of Officers Services in the Great War{About 6" Thick}if you can Id advise obtaining it from your library,it gives details of all Officers still serving in 1920,with Decorations etc;

[Chris_Baker]

I am trying to find out the movements of the 1/1 North Midland in 1915.

So can anyone advise me how I can do this and are there any lists of Croix De Guerre awards etc.

The daily war diary of the 1/1 North Midland RGA is held at the National Archives in Kew.

Jame's service papers will almost certainly be held there too, in series WO374.

All CdG awards were gazetted in the London Gazette, without citations. The search engine on the LG website is very tricky; I would advise searching on "Belgian Croix" or similar if the variants of initials and names turns nothing up.

[rflory]

Captain James Edward King, RGA was born on 27 Dec 78 and served in the ranks for 20 years and 185 days, and as a Warrant Officer, 2nd Class for 224 days. He was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Royal Garrison Artillery on 9 Sep 15 and appointed as a Temporary Lieutenant, RGA from 18 Feb 16 to 30 Jun 17. He served in France and Belgium from 25 Feb 15 to 1 Oct 15 and from 16 Jun 16 to 20 Sep 16. On 22 Jan 17 he was appointed as Adjutant, No. 3 Siege Artillery Reserve Brigade, RGA at Prees Heath and served in that position until the end of the war.

He was promoted to substantive Lieutenant, RGA on 1 Jul 17 and appointed an Acting Captain on 1 Jul 17, a rank in which he was still serving when the war ended. He was gazetted with the MBE in the London Gazette of 12 Dec 1919. I can find no indication that he was ever gazetted for the Belgian Croix de Guerre.

Regards. Dick Flory

[Guest Ray_King]

Thanks for the information, especially from Dick Flory (where did you find this?)

A trip to Kew will be the next step.

Thanks again.

[rflory]

Ray_King wrote:

Thanks for the information, especially from Dick Flory (where did you find this?)

The information on Lieut. King came from various Army Lists and from my databases on Great War Royal Artillery officers. Regards. Dick Flory

[Cliff. Hobson]

For information, there was a previous post on this subject re. George Wm. Moxon dated 6th June 2004.