Sidney Ernest King

Source: Copy of Birth Certificate.

Source: Copy of Marriage Certificate.

Source: Copy of Death Certificate.

He is buried in St. Joseph's Church cemetery in Havant.

1. Elizabeth "Bess" King was born around 1890 in Bedhampton, Havant, Hampshire.  Possibly Elizabeth Jane King born in Jul-Sep 1889 in Havant (Volume 2b Page 407).
2. Edward King was born in Apr-Jun 1892 (Kingsclere Volume 2c Page 230) in Burghclere, Kingsclere, Hampshire..
3. Sidney Ernest King was born on the 14th of February 1894 in Donnington, Newbury, Berkshire, and married on the 22nd of August 1916 in Havant to Agnes Mary Clarke.
4. George King was born in 1895/96 in Bedhampton, Havant.  No George found in Bedhampton, but there is an Arthur George King born in Jul-Sep 1895 in Kingsclere (Volume 2c Page 231).
5. Mary King was born around 1897/98 in Bedhampton, Havant.  Possibly Mary Ellen King born in Jul-Sep 1897 in Havant (Volume 2b Page 401).
6. Henry King was born around 1899/1900 in Bedhampton, Havant and married on ____ in ____ to ____ ____.  Possibly Henry Charles King born in Jul-Sep 1899 in Havant (Volume 2b Page 412).

Henry worked for Carol's the builder. They lived in Westbourne and had a son and daughter.

7. Arthur King was born around 1902 in Bedhampton, Havant.  Possibly Arthur Frederick King born in Apr-Jun 1903 in Havant (Volume 2b Page 393).

Edward is deaf at age 36.

• Donnington, Newbury, Berkshire. 1894 (birth)
• 5 Bedhampton Hill, Bedhampton. 1916 (marriage)
• Coastguard Cottages, Langstone.
• North Way, Havant.
• 2 The Pallant, Havant. 1924 Only for Norman's birth.
• 44 Crossway, Havant.
• 139 Second Avenue, Farlington, Portsmouth. 1948
• 50 Victoria Road, Emsworth.
• 41a North End Avenue, North End, Portsmouth. 1951 (death)

• Joined the "Boys Service" of the Royal Navy when he was 15. 1910-1912
• Seaman Gunner in the Royal Navy. 1912-1923
• Stent's Glove Factory, preparing skins.
• Jointer's Mate for the City of Portsmouth Electricity Board. Joining underground cables.
• Sergeant in the Havant Special Police during WWII.
• Maintenance Electrician for the City of Portsmouth Electricity Board.

Date of entry: Boy Service, 6 January 1910.

Physical description:

Date and period of engagement: 12 February 1912 for twelve years

Official service number: J 7085

Ship/Shore establishments served on:
 

"Invalided" to shore on 4 April 1923.

Ratings held:

Sub-rating:

Character: Very Good.

Two Good Conduct Badges issued:

Source: Ministry of Defence, Bourne Avenue, Hayes, Middlesex UB3 1RF.

• Gardening and Allotments.
• Listening to the radio, especially the news.

Joined the Royal Navy at 15. Started on sailing ships. Witnessed his first flogging on ship.

Sid's name is in a booklet of the men from Bedhampton who served in the First World War.  Sid was in the Royal Navy.  His brothers George and Arthur are there also, but in the Territorials.  Jane Dabbs has a website with information on Bedhampton and Havant.


HMS Courageous
Built by Armstrong Whitworth. Laid down 18 March 1915. Launched 5 February 1916. Commissioned January 1917. Converted to carrier June 1924 - May 1928.
Sid was on the Courageous from Dec. 1919 untl Jan 1920, before it was converted to a carrier.
Sunk 17 September 1939 by German submarine U20 in the South-West approaches.

HMS Renown
Sid went on a world tour on HMS Renown with the Prince of Wales, the future Edward VIIIth.  The following picture is of the HMS Renown in Australia in 1920 as part of this tour.

In Calcutta, his fortune was told by an Indian Fakir, who told him that he would never go to sea again. He thought this was nonsense since he was still young and fit.  When he got back to England though, he failed his medical due to his eyesight and was forced to leave the Navy.

Sid was not given a pension when he left the Navy, but his wife did housework for Admiral North, and he was able to arrange for Sid to get his pension.

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The following information was provided by George Chew (george.chew@eidosnet.co.uk) a retired Royal Navy Gunnery Instructor.  George is in the process of creating a web-site for the HMS Impregnable Association.

HMS Impregnable was a Boys' training ship stuck in the middle of Pompey (Portsmouth) harbour; hard knocks were learned.

HMS Victory was the Royal Naval Barracks and was/is used for transit purposes and the mustering of ships' companies when being drawn together prior to commissioning. Most Portsmouth-based sailors have been through RNB; it was a B of a ship for tightening up discipline after some time at sea! but nothing compared to the gunnery training school, HMS Excellent.
Your Grandad (in-law) was a gunnery rating and would spend a lot of time there, between ships, being trained and learning more modern methods of fighting a ship.
X'lent was nicknamed 'Whale Island' as it grew out of Portsmouth harbour from the deposit of landfil from the construction of the dry docks in Pompey dockyard and it took on the shape of a whale while it became a fully-fledged island. The island was 5/8ths of a mile in circumference and many a sailor has had to double around it carrying a 4.5" shell for committing the slightest misdemenour. The regime was very strict indeed, everything being done at the double. Even officers up to rank commander, on courses, downwards moved at the double and the instructors, senior ratings - Gunners' Mates were proper Bs. Parades and ceremonial were also carried there with some of the finest military precision you could hope to see. I was a Gunnery Instructor myself, at Whale Island, for about eight years."

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