Private Sidney Ernest King
| Date of Birth | 22/07/1879 |
|---|---|
| Age at Death | 37 |
| Date of Death | 30/10/1916 |
| Service Number | G/9227 |
| Military Service | Royal West Kent Regiment (Queen's Own) |
| Merton Address | |
| Local Memorial | Streatham Park Cemetery |
Additional Information
Sidney was born on 22 July 1879 and baptised in St John’s Church, Hammersmith on 7 February 1880. His parents, William, a plasterer/brick layer) and Eliza lived in Shepherd’s Bush and Sidney was their only child.
Sidney married Lilian Wheeler on 11 October 1903 when she was 6 months pregnant with their first daughter and they set up home in Osborne Buildings, Tower Bridge Road London SE. They went on to have five more daughters, though regrettably Amelia, their fourth child, died when she was only 3.
Sidney described himself as a Hawker on the 1911 census and this document shows that their flat at 16 Osborne House was a three room dwelling which they were sharing with his cousin on Census Day.
Sidney enlisted in the 15th Battalion of the Cheshire Brigade on 1 December 1914. According to his service papers he was 5ft 2½ins tall and weighed 112lbs.
He was discharged on 16 April 1915 a being “unlikely to become an efficient soldier (Medically unfit)”.
On 26 July 1915 he reenlisted, this time with the 1st Garrison Battalion of the Royal West Kent (Queen’s Own) Regiment . He forfeited several days pay over the next couple of months due to absenteeism and was again discharged as being medically unfit.
He died on 30 October 1916 in the Pit Military Hospital , Chatham and is buried in Streatham Park Cemetery and commemorated on the foot of the War Memorial.