375132 Private
‘B’ Company, 15th Battalion Royal Scots, 101st Brigade, 34th Division
Age: 26
Date of Death: 25.4.18
Buried: Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery XXVIII.C.15
Family history: Son of Robert and Hume King, Main Street, Bo’ness. He lived with his parents and prior to enlisting was employed as an iron moulder at A Ballantine and Sons, New Grange Foundry in Bo’ness.
He enlisted in the 2/10th (Cyclist) Battalion, Royal Scots and was on coastal defence work at Berwick-on-Tweed. While based here he met and married Petrina Spence in June 1916, and they lived with their daughter Jane Hume King, born on 26 April 1917, at 8 Parliament Close, Tweedmouth, Berwick-on-Tweed. He volunteered for overseas service and joined the 15th Battalion, Royal Scots in France in March 1918.
The action leading to his death
On the 24 April 1918, the Battalion was on a working party digging trenches on the new Poperinghe (now named Poperinge) Line. While passing through the town one man was killed and nine wounded (all ’B’ Company) by a shell. Richard was one of those wounded and was taken to the nearby Casualty Clearing Station at Remy Siding, Lijssenthoek. He died of his wounds.
(National Archive. War Diary entry)
(Linesman Map. Showing the town of Poperinghe and the Poperinghe Trench Line)
Medals
The British War Medal, Victory Medal
Headstone
