This is an original 1914 Star with Rosette, British WarMedal and Victory medal trio to Driver Thomas Edward King of the Royal FieldArtillery.
Thomas King was born in Lambeth, Surrey, England on 5 Jan1893 to Thomas Edward and Elizabeth Ann King.Prior to entry in the service, he lived with his family at 130 GrosvenorTerrace, Walworth, Camberwell. He enlisted on 15 Nov 1912 in Whitehall,London to 3 Battery of the 3rd Division Royal Field ReserveArtillery. During the War, his brotherWilliam was posted with the Rifle Brigade and brother James was in the MerchantService.
On 8 Aug 1914, Thomas King was mobilized to 3 Battery, 3rdDivision and then further assigned to the 31st Brigade on 07 Sep1914. On 7 Oct 14 he posted to the 33rdBrigade Ammunition Column, disembarking with the Brigade in France on 06 Nov1914. On 20 May 1916 Thomas King was postedto W/8 Heavy Trench Mortar Battery. On 02Jun 1917 he was wounded in action. Afteradmission to 4th Station Hospital, he was transferred to England 23Jun 1917 onboard SS St. Patrick and admitted to N. Evington Military Hospitalin Leicester for 39 days. Thomas Kingwould remain in England with the 51st Reserve Battery until 20 Sep1918. On 21 Sep 1918 he returned toFrance and on 11 Oct 1918 Thomas King was posted to C Battery/ 62ndBrigade, where he would remain until 21 Mar 1919. He returned to England on 22 Mar 1919 and wastransferred to Class Z Reserve 18 Apr 1919 at Woolrich. Thomas King was finally struck from the rollson 31 Mar 1920.
Thomas King married Rose May Wiseman in Lambeth on 20 May1920 and became a China & Glass warehouseman. He died in Jul 1967 in Camberwell.
The 1914 Star medal roll lists disembarkation 06 Nov 1914with 33rd Brigade Royal Field Artillery. The Clasp & Rosette were issued 31 Apr1921. The Victory & British WarMedals have a RFRA prefix to the service number. This designated pre-war Royal Field ReserveArtillery service numbers. War timeenlistment service numbers were assigned an L prefix.
33rd Brigade, RFA, was made up of 32nd,33rd, and 36th Batteries and their ammunition column, andserved 8th Division. TheDivision was formed at Hursley Park, Winchester during Oct 1914 from regulararmy units returning from around the Empire.They proceeded to France in November 1914 as reinforcements and remainedon the Western Front throughout the war.In 1915 they were in action at The Battles of Neuve Chapelle, Aubers andBois Grenier. On 18 May 1916 the 55th(Howitzer) Battery was assigned to the Brigade.In 1916 they were in action at the Battle of the Somme. In 1917 they fought in the German retreat tothe Hindenburg Line and then moved to Flanders.Thomas King was wounded prior to the start of the Third Battle ofYpres.
The 62nd Brigade served the 12th (Eastern)Division. Thomas King was posted to thebrigade during the Battle of the Hindenberg Line and would have been presentfor the Battle of St Quentin Canal on 29 Sep 1918. In October the Division fought in the FinalAdvance in Artois, reaching the Scheldt Canal by 20 Oct. They were withdrawn for rest on 30 Oct andafter the Armistice moved east of Douai.
The medal was acquired in England in the early 1990s and hasremained in a private collection.
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