William John King
William was born in Georgetown and grew up at 33 Queen St., the son of George King and Alice Crocker. His birth records show that he was born on December 25, 1888, although on his enlistment papers William reported his year of birth as 1890. William was one of three sons (Frederick, William, Percy) that his widowed mother sent off to fight the Great War. A fourth son Francis, was rejected and unable to enlist. William’s two brother-in-laws also served their country.
William married Gertie Peace a native of England in Georgetown on August 11, 1915, and six months later he enlisted to serve King and country. On his Attestation Paper he stated that he was a glove cutter and that he had previously served as a volunteer in the military for two years. William sailed overseas with the 164th Battalion on April 11, 1917, later being transferred to the 2nd Reserve Bn, then back to the 164th and finally to the 21st. On February 19, 1918 he was permitted to wear one Good Conduct Badge.
In his Will (not dated), he leaves his real and personal estate to his wife Mrs. Gertrude King of Georgetown. On August 8, 1918 his military file records from the field that he is “missing after action”, on the same day to be amended to “now reported killed in action”. Mrs. King has given her second son to the war effort. William’s wife Getrude has received $985 as William’s pay for his sacrifices and $80 as a special pension bonus. There will be no future for this young couple, so recently married.
William was buried in the Adelaide Cemetery (Villers-Bretonneux) and memorialized on the Cenotaph in Remembrance Park, Georgetown.
Truly a Canadian Hero. His storey lives on.
Information obtained from The Great Canadian War Project, Ancestry.ca
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