SAPPER ARTHUR EDWARD CHARLES KING
821 – Aust Electrical & Mechanical Mining & Boring Company
Arthur Edward King and his twin sister Emily Frances were born on January 31, 1886 at Parramatta, Sydney, New South Wales, children of Arthur E. and Emily Frances King.
At twenty-six years of age the chauffeur applied to enlist for active service abroad in the Recruiting Depot at the Board of Health, Sydney on January 25, 1916 and passed the preliminary medical examination. Personal particulars reveal he was working for Dr Dansey at Strathfield, Sydney and was single, standing 160cms (5ft 3ins) tall, weighing 53kgs (118lbs) with a chest measurement of 90cms (35½ins). Blue was his eye colour with a dark complexion and had black curly hair. Distinctive marks noted were 1 vaccination scar on his upper left arm. Declared fit the recruiting officer accepted his application.
Attestation forms were completed on February 1 at Casula camp, near Liverpool, NSW. Further information added was he had good vision and Church of England was his religious faith. Next-of-kin nominated was his twin sister Mrs Emily F. Willox, 236 Trafalgar Street, Annandale, NSW. He signed and took the ‘Oath of Allegiance’ the same day.
Allotted to the No.2 Company of the Mining Corps for training his rank was Sapper with the regimental number 821.
At a civic parade in the Domain, Sydney on Saturday February 19, 1916, a large crowd of relations and friends of the departing Miners lined the four sides of the parade ground. Sixty police and 100 Garrison Military Police were on hand to keep the crowds within bounds. The scene was an inspiriting one. On the extreme right flank, facing the saluting base, were companies of the Rifle Club School; next came a detachment of the 4th King’s Shropshire Light Infantry, then the bands of the Light Horse, Liverpool Depot, and the Miners’ on the left, rank upon rank, the Miners’ Battalion.
The Corps boarded HMAT A38 Ulysses in Sydney, NSW on February 20 and sailed for the European theatre. Arriving in Melbourne, Victoria on February 22 the Miners camped at Broadmeadows for a stay of 7 days while further cargo was loaded.
Another parade was held at the Broadmeadows camp on March 1, the Miners’ Corps being inspected by the Governor-General, as Commander-in-Chief of the Commonwealth military forces.
Leaving Melbourne on March 1, Ulysses arrived at Fremantle, Western Australia on March 7 where a further 53 members were taken on board.
On Wednesday March 8, 1916 the whole force, with their band and equipment, paraded at Fremantle prior to leaving Victoria Quay at 9.30 o’clock.
The ship hit a reef when leaving Fremantle harbour, stripping the plates for 40 feet and, although there was a gap in the outside plate, the inner bilge plates were not punctured. The men on board nicknamed her ‘Useless’. The Miners were off-loaded and sent to the Blackboy Hill Camp where further training was conducted.
The Mining Corps comprised 1303 members at the time they embarked with a Headquarters of 40; No.1 Company – 390; No.2 Company – 380; No.3 Company – 392, and 101 members of the 1st Reinforcements.
Finally departing Fremantle on April 1, Ulysses voyaged via Suez, Port Said and Alexandria in Egypt. The Captain of the shipwas reluctantto take Ulysses out of the Suez Canal because he felt the weight of the ship made it impossible to manoeuvre in the situation of a submarine attack. The troops were transhipped to HM Transport B.1 Ansonia, then on to Valetta, Malta before disembarking at Marseilles, France on May 5, 1916. As a unit they entrained at Marseilles on May 7 and detrained on May 11 at Hazebrouck.
A ‘Mining Corps’ did not fit in the British Expeditionary Force, and the Corps was disbanded and three Australian Tunnelling Companies were formed. The Technical Staff of the Corps Headquarters, plus some technically qualified men from the individual companies, was formed into the entirely new Australian Electrical and Mechanical Mining and Boring Company (AEMMBC), better known as the ‘Alphabetical Company’.
[Note: The Embarkation Roll records Arthur as ‘KING, Albert Edward Charles’]
The No.2 Company became the 2nd Tunnelling Company in France.
With his occupation as a motor driver his skills were more beneficial to the work of the Aust Electrical & Mechanical Mining & Boring Company therefore on September 29, 1916 was transferred and taken on strength the next day.
Service continued without incident until March 22, 1917 when he went sick to the 58th Field Ambulance with Rubeola then sent to the North Midland Casualty Clearing Station with measles and transferred the next day to the Isolation Ward of the 7th General Hospital at St Omer diagnosed with mumps. He was discharged to Base Details after suffering German measles on April 1, 1917 and rejoined his unit later that day.
After twelve months service abroad he was issued with Blue Chevrons to wear on his uniform.
The following notice was placed in remembrance of his friend in the:
Leave was granted from March 9, 1918 and rejoined his unit on March 23.
Pay was issued in France on May 16, 1918.
He was admitted to the 12th Stationary Hospital on November 7, 1918 with P.U.O. (Pyrexia (Fever) Uncertain Origin) and was there when Peace was declared. He rejoined his unit after suffering Influenza on December 12, 1918.
The company remained on the front continuing to generate electricity and supply and service small engines and pumps for water supplies to those rehabilitating their districts.
Leave was again granted from February 27, 1919 and he returned on March 15.
He entered the 57th C.C.S. on March 30 after receiving a contusion to his right leg and was discharged to duty on April 1, 1919.
Orders were issued to return to the Base Depot to prepare for demobilisation and they departed from France on April 28 crossing the English Channel to England and marched into the Reserve Brigade Aust Artillery camp at Heytesbury the following day.
After demobilisation Sapper King embarked for Australia on the H.T. Ormonde on June 16, 1919.
Sergeant E.G. ‘Hughie’ Dodd also with the same company kept a diary during his time in France and has the following entry on their departure:
1919
June 16
Bill Davies, Lieut. Norfolk, with about 40 men of the Coy marched out with 37 Quota at 6 this morning for Devonport, sailing at 4 o'clock this afternoon by the Ormonde.
His sister was advised by Base Records on July 15, 1919 that he was on his way home. The ship docked in Sydney, NSW (2nd M.D.) on August 4, 1919 and news of their arrival was printed in the:
Military Discharge was issued in Sydney (2nd M.D.) on September 26, 1919 on termination of his period of enlistment.
For service for his country Sapper 821 Arthur Edward Charles King, Aust Electrical & Mechanical Mining Company was issued the British War Medal (33223) and the Victory Medal (32808).
In 1922 he married Lottie Elizabeth Irene Scurrah (born June 2, 1900 in Sydney) with their union registered at Newtown, Sydney.
Their residence is listed from 1930 to 1959 as 4 Bazentin Street, Belmore with his occupation as motor driver.
A request from the Sydney Branch of the Repatriation Department to Base Records for a Statement of his Service was issued on February 1, 1935.
Arthur Edward Charles King passed away in Sydney, NSW on September 14, 1959 aged 73 years. Interment was in the Church of England portion of Rookwood Cemetery in section 19 in grave no. 2945.
A Commonwealth War Grave plaque marks his war service.
His wife Lottie died on December 17, 1976 at 76 years of age and his twin sister Emily Willox passed away at Gosford District Hospital, NSW aged 74 on June 10, 1960.
REUNIONS
Former members of the (Alphabet Company) Aust Electrical & Mechanical Mining & Boring Company and Tunnellers’ in Sydney would meet to march in the Anzac Day parade then attend their annual luncheon. Roll Registers for newsletters of this annual event were kept and his name appears as follows:
1934 Arthur King 4 Bazentin Street, Belmore
© Donna Baldey 2013
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