Peter King (British soldier)
Encyclopedia
Peter Frank King was a British Commando
in World War II
, who was commissioned in the field and awarded the Military Cross
. He also served in Korea
with the New Zealand Army
, being awarded the Distinguished Service Order
in 1951. King died in a car accident in 1962.
and his wife, Hilda May Pleasants. He was educated at Truro School
.
in March 1939 and served as a non-technician, excelling as a weapons instructor. He spent two years in this role, rapidly becoming a drill sergeant at the Dental Corps' depot, but then applied to transfer to a fighting unit. This was refused. King was so frustrated that he and another soldier, Pte Leslie Cuthbertson, then 20 and from Newcastle-upon-Tyne took matters in their own hands; they planned and executed an unofficial and unauthorised raid on occupied France.
In April 1942, the two men stole weapons and grenades and also a motor-boat from the south west of England. They landed in France, where they attempted to cut a railway line using a hand grenade
,Some accounts, eg http://www.dnzb.govt.nz/dnzb/alt_essayBody.asp?essayID=5K10, say that King and Cuthbertson attacked, or attempted to derail, a troop train. among other activities. After three days, King and Cuthbertson stole a French motor boat to return to England. This failed and they were adrift in the Channel for twelve days until picked up by an Air Sea Rescue Service launch.A New Zealand sourcehttp://www.rnza.co.nz/artillery_heritage/korean_war/kwar/peter_king.htm states that the two men were 15 days adrift and that they were picked up by a Royal Navy destroyer. They were initially treated as spies.
Both men were court-martial
led in July 1942. King lost his sergeant's rank but he was posted to the Commando
training base at Achnacarry
, as a private
on detachment
from the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry
. After training, he was allocated to No. 4 Commando
, on the request of its commander, 15th Lord Lovat
who had heard of his French adventures. King was a highly successful recruit to the Commandos, becoming Troop Sergeant Major
of C Troop before the D Day landings.
No. 4 Commando landed at La Brèche, near Ouistreham
early on D Day, and they were detailed to fight through and link up with the airborne troops who had captured vital canal bridges (Operation Pegasus
). King was prominent in the fighting in Normandy and during further distinguished actions in Flushing
on Walcheren Island, during the Battle of the Scheldt
, he was commissioned in the field (becoming a 2nd Lieutenant, later attaining the rank of Captain
). He was subsequently awarded the Military Cross for crossing into enemy territory on Schouwen from North Beveland, for three days' reconnaissance and artillery "spotting". His unit's War Diary records that "during this period the patrol managed to cover most of the area allotted to it, artillery fire was successfully directed on to certain targets and on groups of Germans when seen grouped together in the open".
Cuthbertson's and King's exploits were told in a book, The Amateur Commandos, and a film, Two Men Went to War
, was based on them.
in 1946 and worked as a factory manager in Christchurch
and as a bushman
at Otautau
, Southland
. He joined the New Zealand Army in November 1950 for war service in Korea (Kayforce).
In November, 1951, King—now a Captain with the 16th Field Regiment, Royal New Zealand Artillery—and a signaller, Gunner Derek Rixon, manned a forward artillery observation post
(OP) for New Zealand artillery supporting a company of The King's Own Scottish Borderers on Hill 355. The first large scale Chinese attack was broken up by the guns but, when their OP's communications were cut, the two men joined in the close-quarters defence of the hill, each becoming wounded. After two hours, the position was abandoned and Rixon carried King to safety. For his "tenacity, commitment and courage", King was awarded the Distinguished Service Order and Rixon received the Distinguished Conduct Medal
for his "fine example of courage, commitment and comradeship while fighting alongside his officer". King was described as "the genius of gunner observers" by a Scottish infantryman.
From July to September 1952, King commanded 161st Battery before his return to New Zealand.
Out of the Army, King returned to the South Island, working at Te Anau
as a trail guide. Late in 1954, he was selected to join the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan in Kashmir
and he was commissioned as a Major
in the regular Army. Between 1956 and 1959, King served on the Kashmir cease-fire
line based at Srinagar
.
King married Dorothy Woodham Graham on 18 April 1959 at Blenheim
; she was a postmistress and daughter of the well-known alpine guide Alec Graham. The couple subsequently had a son and a daughter. He retired from the Army in 1960 and worked for the New Zealand Forest Service
at Otautau before being appointed as the first Chief Park Ranger of Westland National Park
in 1960.Apparently reliable sources conflict on the dates of King's life from 1959 until his death. The text attempts to reconcile these.
Peter King drowned on 12 December 1962. He was travelling to a meeting in Hokitika when his car, out of control, went into Lake Wahapo, South Westland
. He is buried at Whataroa
, South Westland.
Commando
In English, the term commando means a specific kind of individual soldier or military unit. In contemporary usage, commando usually means elite light infantry and/or special operations forces units, specializing in amphibious landings, parachuting, rappelling and similar techniques, to conduct and...
in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, who was commissioned in the field and awarded the Military Cross
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
. He also served in Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
with the New Zealand Army
New Zealand Army
The New Zealand Army , is the land component of the New Zealand Defence Force and comprises around 4,500 Regular Force personnel, 2,000 Territorial Force personnel and 500 civilians. Formerly the New Zealand Military Forces, the current name was adopted around 1946...
, being awarded the Distinguished Service Order
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
in 1951. King died in a car accident in 1962.
Early life
Peter King was born in Caxton, Cambridgeshire; his parents were William Edgar King, a master builderMaster Builder
Master Builder can refer to:* Master builder, also "master mason", a central figure leading construction projects in pre-modern times .* The Master Builder, a play by Henrik Ibsen....
and his wife, Hilda May Pleasants. He was educated at Truro School
Truro School
Truro School is a mixed independent school located in the city of Truro, Cornwall, UK. The current Headmaster is Paul Smith. Deputy Headteachers are Nick Fisher and Anita Firth . Phil Brewer is Assistant Head and Head of Sixth Form...
.
World War II service
King joined the Dental CorpsRoyal Army Dental Corps
The Royal Army Dental Corps is a specialist corps in the British Army that provides dental care services to British Army personnel and their families in war and in peace...
in March 1939 and served as a non-technician, excelling as a weapons instructor. He spent two years in this role, rapidly becoming a drill sergeant at the Dental Corps' depot, but then applied to transfer to a fighting unit. This was refused. King was so frustrated that he and another soldier, Pte Leslie Cuthbertson, then 20 and from Newcastle-upon-Tyne took matters in their own hands; they planned and executed an unofficial and unauthorised raid on occupied France.
In April 1942, the two men stole weapons and grenades and also a motor-boat from the south west of England. They landed in France, where they attempted to cut a railway line using a hand grenade
Hand grenade
A hand grenade is any small bomb that can be thrown by hand. Hand grenades are classified into three categories, explosive grenades, chemical and gas grenades. Explosive grenades are the most commonly used in modern warfare, and are designed to detonate after impact or after a set amount of time...
,Some accounts, eg http://www.dnzb.govt.nz/dnzb/alt_essayBody.asp?essayID=5K10, say that King and Cuthbertson attacked, or attempted to derail, a troop train. among other activities. After three days, King and Cuthbertson stole a French motor boat to return to England. This failed and they were adrift in the Channel for twelve days until picked up by an Air Sea Rescue Service launch.A New Zealand sourcehttp://www.rnza.co.nz/artillery_heritage/korean_war/kwar/peter_king.htm states that the two men were 15 days adrift and that they were picked up by a Royal Navy destroyer. They were initially treated as spies.
Both men were court-martial
Court-martial
A court-martial is a military court. A court-martial is empowered to determine the guilt of members of the armed forces subject to military law, and, if the defendant is found guilty, to decide upon punishment.Most militaries maintain a court-martial system to try cases in which a breach of...
led in July 1942. King lost his sergeant's rank but he was posted to the Commando
Commando
In English, the term commando means a specific kind of individual soldier or military unit. In contemporary usage, commando usually means elite light infantry and/or special operations forces units, specializing in amphibious landings, parachuting, rappelling and similar techniques, to conduct and...
training base at Achnacarry
Achnacarry
Achnacarry is a small hamlet, private estate, and a castle in the Lochaber region of Highland, Scotland. It occupies a strategic position on an isthmus between Loch Lochy to the east, and Loch Arkaig to the west....
, as a private
Private (rank)
A Private is a soldier of the lowest military rank .In modern military parlance, 'Private' is shortened to 'Pte' in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries and to 'Pvt.' in the United States.Notably both Sir Fitzroy MacLean and Enoch Powell are examples of, rare, rapid career...
on detachment
Detachment
Detachment, also expressed as non-attachment, is a state in which a person overcomes his or her attachment to desire for things, people or concepts of the world and thus attains a heightened perspective.-Importance of the term:...
from the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry
Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry
The Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry was an infantry regiment of the British Army from 1881 to 1959. Its lineage is continued today by The Rifles....
. After training, he was allocated to No. 4 Commando
No. 4 Commando
No. 4 Commando was a battalion-sized British Army commando unit, formed in 1940 early in the Second World War. Although it was raised to conduct small-scale raids and harass garrisons along the coast of German-occupied France, it was mainly employed as a highly-trained infantry assault unit.The...
, on the request of its commander, 15th Lord Lovat
Simon Fraser, 15th Lord Lovat
Brigadier Simon Christopher Joseph Fraser, 15th Lord Lovat and 4th Baron Lovat DSO, MC, TD was the 25th Chief of the Clan Fraser and a prominent British Commando during the Second World War...
who had heard of his French adventures. King was a highly successful recruit to the Commandos, becoming Troop Sergeant Major
Troop Sergeant Major
In the British Army, the Troop Sergeant Major is the senior NCO in a Royal Artillery troop, usually a Warrant Officer Class 2.This differs from a cavalry troop or infantry platoon, in which the highest-ranking NCO is usually a sergeant....
of C Troop before the D Day landings.
No. 4 Commando landed at La Brèche, near Ouistreham
Ouistreham
Ouistreham is a commune in the Calvados department' in the Basse-Normandie region in northwestern France.Ouistreham is a small port with fishing boats, leisure craft and a ferry-harbour. It serves as the port of the city of Caen. The town is about the mouth of the Canal de Caen à la...
early on D Day, and they were detailed to fight through and link up with the airborne troops who had captured vital canal bridges (Operation Pegasus
Operation Pegasus
Operation Pegasus was a military operation carried out on the Lower Rhine near the village of Renkum, close to Arnhem in the Netherlands. Overnight on the 22–23 October 1944, the Allies successfully evacuated a large group of men trapped in German occupied territory who had been in hiding since...
). King was prominent in the fighting in Normandy and during further distinguished actions in Flushing
Flushing, Netherlands
Vlissingen is a municipality and a city in the southwestern Netherlands on the former island of Walcheren. With its strategic location between the Scheldt river and the North Sea, Vlissingen has been an important harbour for centuries. It was granted city rights in 1315. In the 17th century...
on Walcheren Island, during the Battle of the Scheldt
Battle of the Scheldt
The Battle of the Scheldt was a series of military operations of the Canadian 1st Army, led by Lieutenant-General Guy Simonds. The battle took place in northern Belgium and southwestern Netherlands during World War II from 2 October-8 November 1944...
, he was commissioned in the field (becoming a 2nd Lieutenant, later attaining the rank of Captain
Captain (British Army and Royal Marines)
Captain is a junior officer rank of the British Army and Royal Marines. It ranks above Lieutenant and below Major and has a NATO ranking code of OF-2. The rank is equivalent to a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy and to a Flight Lieutenant in the Royal Air Force...
). He was subsequently awarded the Military Cross for crossing into enemy territory on Schouwen from North Beveland, for three days' reconnaissance and artillery "spotting". His unit's War Diary records that "during this period the patrol managed to cover most of the area allotted to it, artillery fire was successfully directed on to certain targets and on groups of Germans when seen grouped together in the open".
Cuthbertson's and King's exploits were told in a book, The Amateur Commandos, and a film, Two Men Went to War
Two Men Went to War
Two Men Went to War is a 2002 British film based on a true World War II story, from Raymond Foxall's book Amateur Commandos which describes the adventures of two army dentists who sneak off on their own personal invasion of France...
, was based on them.
New Zealand
King emigrated to New ZealandNew Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
in 1946 and worked as a factory manager in Christchurch
Christchurch
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
and as a bushman
The Bush
"The bush" is a term used for rural, undeveloped land or country areas in certain countries.-Australia:The term is iconic in Australia. In reference to the landscape, "bush" describes a wooded area, intermediate between a shrubland and a forest, generally of dry and nitrogen-poor soil, mostly...
at Otautau
Otautau
Otautau is a small farming, forestry and milling town located inland on the western edge of the Southland Plains of New Zealand on the banks of the Aparima River. Otautau is located approximately 40 km north west of Invercargill...
, Southland
Southland Region
Southland is New Zealand's southernmost region and is also a district within that region. It consists mainly of the southwestern portion of the South Island and Stewart Island / Rakiura...
. He joined the New Zealand Army in November 1950 for war service in Korea (Kayforce).
In November, 1951, King—now a Captain with the 16th Field Regiment, Royal New Zealand Artillery—and a signaller, Gunner Derek Rixon, manned a forward artillery observation post
Observation post
An observation post, temporary or fixed, is a position from which soldiers can watch enemy movements, to warn of approaching soldiers , or to direct artillery fire...
(OP) for New Zealand artillery supporting a company of The King's Own Scottish Borderers on Hill 355. The first large scale Chinese attack was broken up by the guns but, when their OP's communications were cut, the two men joined in the close-quarters defence of the hill, each becoming wounded. After two hours, the position was abandoned and Rixon carried King to safety. For his "tenacity, commitment and courage", King was awarded the Distinguished Service Order and Rixon received the Distinguished Conduct Medal
Distinguished Conduct Medal
The Distinguished Conduct Medal was an extremely high level award for bravery. It was a second level military decoration awarded to other ranks of the British Army and formerly also to non-commissioned personnel of other Commonwealth countries.The medal was instituted in 1854, during the Crimean...
for his "fine example of courage, commitment and comradeship while fighting alongside his officer". King was described as "the genius of gunner observers" by a Scottish infantryman.
From July to September 1952, King commanded 161st Battery before his return to New Zealand.
Out of the Army, King returned to the South Island, working at Te Anau
Te Anau
Te Anau is a town in the South Island of New Zealand. It is on the eastern shore of Lake Te Anau in Fiordland. Lake Te Anau is the largest lake in the South Island and second only within New Zealand to Lake Taupo. The 2001 census recorded the town's population as 1,857...
as a trail guide. Late in 1954, he was selected to join the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan in Kashmir
Kashmir
Kashmir is the northwestern region of the Indian subcontinent. Until the mid-19th century, the term Kashmir geographically denoted only the valley between the Great Himalayas and the Pir Panjal mountain range...
and he was commissioned as a Major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
in the regular Army. Between 1956 and 1959, King served on the Kashmir cease-fire
Kashmir conflict
The Kashmir conflict is a territorial dispute between India and Pakistan over the Kashmir region, the northwesternmost region of South Asia....
line based at Srinagar
Srinagar
Srinagar is the summer seasonal capital of Jammu and Kashmir. It is situated in Kashmir Valley and lies on the banks of the Jhelum River, a tributary of the Indus. It is one of the largest cities in India not to have a Hindu majority. The city is famous for its gardens, lakes and houseboats...
.
King married Dorothy Woodham Graham on 18 April 1959 at Blenheim
Blenheim, New Zealand
Blenheim is the most populous town in the region of Marlborough, in the north east of the South Island of New Zealand, and the seat of the regional council. It has a population of The area which surrounds the town is well known as a centre of New Zealand's wine industry...
; she was a postmistress and daughter of the well-known alpine guide Alec Graham. The couple subsequently had a son and a daughter. He retired from the Army in 1960 and worked for the New Zealand Forest Service
New Zealand Forest Service
The New Zealand Forest Service was originally established in 1919 as the State Forest Service. The State Forest Service changed its name to the New Zealand Forest Service in 1949 at about the same time that the Forests Act of 1949 passed through Parliament....
at Otautau before being appointed as the first Chief Park Ranger of Westland National Park
Westland National Park
Westland Tai Poutini National Park is located on the western coast of New Zealand's South Island. Established in 1960, the centenary of the European settlement of Westland District, it covers 1,175 km², and extends from the highest peaks of the Southern Alps to a wild and remote coastline...
in 1960.Apparently reliable sources conflict on the dates of King's life from 1959 until his death. The text attempts to reconcile these.
Peter King drowned on 12 December 1962. He was travelling to a meeting in Hokitika when his car, out of control, went into Lake Wahapo, South Westland
Westland District
Westland District is a territorial authority on the west coast of New Zealand's South Island. Its population is - Government :The Westland District is governed by an elected Council, headed by an elected Mayor. The Mayor is elected at large. The current Mayor is Maureen Pugh. Councillors are...
. He is buried at Whataroa
Whataroa
Whataroa is a small township in southern Westland on the West Coast of New Zealand's South Island. It is located on the western bank of the Whataroa River, with the village of Te Taho on the other side. State Highway 6 passes through Whataroa on its route from Ross to the Franz Josef Glacier...
, South Westland.