Reprinted from The Packet, September 8, 2016
by Lester Green
Private William John King #5441 service marred by sickness
William John King. (Photo courtesy of Kevin King)
On Dec. 15, 1898, Mathias King and Mary Hannah Stanford welcomed their fourth member of the family, William John. He was the third son and was raised in the small, well-protected harbour of St. Jones Within located in the Southwest Arm region of Trinity Bay.
He spent his early teenage years involved in the fishery with his family who operated the schooner Lilly Beatrice. The family transported general freight and fish between Random and St. John’s. The Lilly Beatrice was lost in ice during a return trip from St. John’s carrying a load of provisions and general cargo in the spring of 1915. However, that summer the family was once again back at the fishery.
In May of 1918, William John left St. Jones Within and travelled to St. John’s. While in St. John’s, he reached the decision to join the Royal Naval Reserve. He completed the medical exam on May 22. The Fleet Surgeon of the H.M.S. Briton found him to be medical unfit for service in the Royal Naval reserve because of his defective vision. He was extremely disappointed because he always wanted to be a sailor. He had assumed that his experience with the schooner fishery would have ensured his acceptance. It is rather intriguing to note that someone had scribbled the words “Try Army” on this medical certificate.
Undeterred by this rejection and encouraged by the words on his medical certificate, he visited the Royal Newfoundland Regiment recruitment office. He successfully enlisted on May 25 and was attested for general service with the Royal Newfoundland Regiment and assigned the #5441
On June 26, he signed his allotment papers requesting 50 cents per diem be deducted from his pay. This allotment would begin on July 15 and become payable to his father, Mathias King, of St. Jones Within.
During basic training, Private King became ill and was admitted to the Barracks Hospital on July 21. He was transferred the next day to the General Hospital in St. John’s. A postal telegraph was sent to his father, Mathias King which read: “Regret to inform you that #5441 Pte. John King was admitted to General Hospital, St. John’s. (Seriously ill injury to the head).”
His Medical History records that he suffered an injury to his left jaw. This was the first of several incidents that would plague his service.
Over the next several days, the family would receive four more telegraphs updating their son’s condition. On Aug. 1, Mathias received a telegraph confirming that his son was convalescent at the hospital.
His health continued to improve and he was released on Aug. 6. He rejoined the regiment and continued his training. However, his illness returned and he was admitted to the Barracks Hospital on Aug. 21 but discharged four days later.
On Aug, 29, Private King applied for and received leave to return to St. Jones Within to visit his family. In his letter, he explains that he was sick when granted his last leave and therefore, did not travel home. He received furlough for one week starting on Sept. 1. Upon his arrival at home, he discovered that his father was sick and there was little support at home.
He wrote his second letter to the Regiment and explained that the family already had one brother, Francis Edward, in active service with the Royal Navy and that he was badly needed at home. He was granted leave without pay until Oct. 1.
At the end of this leave, he sent a telegraph from Hillview informing the Regiment that he was now sick himself and unable to travel to St. John’s. Private King was granted additional leave without pay from Oct. 16 to Nov. 5.
He returned to St. John’s and on Nov. 21 he was admitted to the Barracks Hospital and transferred to M.I.D. (Medical Infectious Disease) Hospital on Nov. 23.
A telegraph received on Nov. 25 informed his father that Pte King was suffering from influenza and was slowly improving. Two more telegraphs were received during early December updating his son’s sickness. He was discharged from the hospital on Dec. 16.
Proceeding on his discharge from the Regiment began in late Dec.. Troops were being demobilized across the country. On Dec. 24, Private King signed his release certificate and civil re-establishment certificate. He was returning home to resume his civilian occupation as a fishermen. He received a travelling warrant for transportation to St. Jones Within and a clothing allowance of $60.00.
On Dec. 26 his demobilization was approved and confirmation of his discharge came on Jan. 23, 1919, from the Officer in Charge of Records. He was free to go home and re-entered the fishery with his family.
He serviced 244 days but because of his leave without pay, 50 days were deducted, leaving him with service time of 194 days.
When he returned to St. Jones Within, he remained single and continued fishing with his father. In December of 1941 he married the widow Bessie Tucker (nee Burt). She came to the area as a teacher from Green’s Harbour to take a position at the Methodist school, Hatchet Cove in 1917. She married Abraham John Tucker in 1918.
Private William John King was the last individual from the Southwest Arm region to enlist in the Royal Newfoundland Regiment.
