Joseph Francis King
Memorial: Downend - Christ Church
Regiment: Canadian Infantry
Medals: British War Medal, Canadian Memorial Cross, Next of Kin Memorial Plaque 1914 - 1921, Victory Medal
Rank and number: Private 63501
Parents: James and Sophie King
Marital status: Single
Home address: Home Address: 68 North Street, Downend, Bristol. Lived: Broad Street, Staple Hill, Bristol (1901 census)
Pre-war occupation: Labourer
Date of birth: 1899
Date of death: 16/12/1917
Buried/Commemorated at: Mangotsfield (Downend) Cemetery
Age: 18
Further information:
Joseph's Army Service papers state his date of birth as 26/12/1892, but in reality he was born 1899 and he was baptised at Christ Church Downend on 30/08/1899. Joseph's father was a Greengrocer.
Joseph served with the 13th Battalion Canadian Infantry – Attached Canadian Machine Gun Company. Joseph died of wounds he received in August 1917 at the Battle of Hill 70 – spinal injury.
Like many young men, Joseph lied about his age to enlist. Although registered and baptised as Joseph Francis, the 1911 census shows him as Francis Joseph, and his military records as Frank.
Joseph King is commemorated on the Downend Christ Church Memorial and the Staple Hill Page Park Memorial.
By kind permission, this information is based on the following source(s):
Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Findmypast (Soldiers Died during the Great War, 1901 & 1911 Census etc), Researcher John Davis.