Ernest King

Story:
Ernest King was born at Donhead St. Andrew, Wiltshire, on 6th December 1886, and baptised there on 9 Jan 1887 the son of Augustus King and Anne King (née Lewis).  He spent his early life at the family home in Pig's Trough Lane, Donhead St. Andrew.  (Modern usage of the address is Pigtrough Lane).  He married Kate Gibbs in Swindon, Wiltshire, on 11th February 1911 and they went on to have five children.  By 1911 they were living at Birdbush, Ludwell, Donhead St. Mary, Wiltshire.  

Ernest enlisted on 27th February 1915 as a Private with the Duke of Edinburgh's (Wiltshire) Regiment (Service No. 18895).  He was posted to France on 6 Jul 1915 and transferred on the 13th March 1915 to the 2nd/4th Battalion of the Northamptonshire Regiment (Service No. 202423). He was admitted to Hospital on 4 Aug 1915 suffering from shell shock and was repatriated to the UK.  He returned to France having transferred once again to the Royal Engineers (Service No. 359463) working with the Transport Section with the rank of Sapper.  He moved back to the UK and was posted to the Fovant Light Railway Training School, Fovant, Wiltshire, as a Lance Corporal (Service No. WR/284715) employed as a Tailor.   He was eventually discharged on 27th May 1919 and awarded the Victory and British War medals as well as the 1915 Star.  By the time of the 1921 Census he was back living in Pigstrough Lane, Donhead St. Andrew, and had resumed his calling as a Tailor with T. E. Gatehouse, Tailor of Ludwell, Wiltshire. He was at the same address by the time of the 1939 Register described as a Journeyman Tailor.   His death is recorded at the Mere, Wiltshire, Registry in 1965 and he was buried in the Donhead St. Andrew Cemetery on 15 May 1965.