In Bellicourt British Cemetery, France is the Commonwealth War Grave of Captain Humphrey Stuart King, M.C., serving with the 2nd Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers who died 03/10/1918.

He was the son of the late Reverend John King, M.A., Rector of Crock, County Durham, and Mrs. King, of Stockton on Tees.

Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-

Humphrey Stuart King was one of 11 children of whom only 7 survived. His parents were the Reverend John King born November 24th 1842, Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland and his wife Louise Maude Sadgrove, born in Levisham, Kent in 1862. Louise was the daughter of Frederick Sadgrove, a surveyor and secretary to a Building Society in Worthing, Kent and his wife Eleonie. The Sadgrove and King families were already related through marriage as living in their household at 1 Liverpool Street. Worthing in 1881 was a grandchild Helena M. King, aged 4 years.

The Reverend King and Louise Maude Sadgrove were married in 1882 in the district of Thanet, Kent migrating soon after to Crook, County Durham where John took up a position as clerk in Holy Orders and settled at the Vicarage. 

Their daughter Monica was born in 1883, Frederic William 1885, Maude Sadgrove 1887 and Reginald John L’Ecuyer King, January 13th 1889. Humphrey Stuart King was born October 4th 1892 at The Vicarage, as were his sisters Isabel Elizabeth in 1897 and Millicent Louise 1899.

By 1901 the King family had transferred to The Rectory, St. Catherine’s Parish, Crook. The Reverend King was listed in the census of that year as a clergyman (Church of England). Sadly before the birth of their youngest known child Helena in 1906 their son Frederic William died in 1903 aged 17 years.

Only 5 of their children were still living at home in 1911, Maude (23) and Reginald (22), who was following in his father’s footsteps was a theological student at Durham University, Isabel (15) and Millicent (11) were scholars, Helena (4) was not yet old enough to attend school. The family employed a single domestic servant to assist in the household. Their eldest daughter Monica (27) was employed as an assistant school mistress in the market town of Newbury, Berkshire, Humphrey Stuart (18) was a boarder at Darlington Grammar School known as Philip Wood Grammar School, the name of the headmaster and later graduated from Hatfield College Durham with a B.A., in June 1914 as a Divinity Student.

When Britain declared a state of war existed with Germany, August 4th 1914, all regiments were ordered to raise new battalions in answer to Kitchener’s call to arms. Humphrey Stuart King enlisted at Newcastle upon Tyne in September 1914 and was assigned to the 3rd (Reserve) Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers, in East Boldon near Sunderland. As part of the Tyne Garrison the men of the 3rd Battalion were destined for home service but also supplied drafts of men for the 1st and 2nd Service Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers.

In March 1915 Humphrey Stuart King was offered a commission for the duration of the war as Temporary 2nd Lieutenant with the 3rd Reserve Battalion but was posted to the 2nd Battalion in France in March 1916 which was then ordered to Salonika attached to the 84th Brigade, 28th Division. For several months they were engaged in building roads before it participated during the Struma Operation, August 17th-23rd 1916, against the Bulgarian Army.

In 1917 the London Gazette reported that Temporary 2nd Lieutenant King had been awarded the Military Cross in recognition of, “an act or acts of exemplary gallantry during active operations against the enemy on land.” Following his nomination Temporary 2nd Lieutenant King was raised to the rank of Temporary Lieutenant and by July 1917 to Acting Captain. 

Reverend John King died during the 4th quarter (Oct/Nov/Dec) 1917, registered in the district of Darlington, County Durham while his son was on active service.

The 2nd Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers was withdrawn from Salonika and ordered to return to France. The division sailed from Itea aboard the, “Odessa,” a French transport ship disembarking in Taranto, June 26th 1918. Whilst the division made its way through Italy crossing into France, Acting Captain King was given a furlough to England. 

Acting Captain Humphrey Stuart King married at St. Mary’s Church in the village of Willington, historically in Northumberland, July 11th 1918, Josephine Wheatley who was the daughter of colliery clerk Charles William Wheatley and Jane Hall. Josephine was born in Marsden in 1894, she was living with her family at The View, Marsden, South Shields historically in County Durham at the time of her marriage. Captain King left his new bride in the care of her family when he returned to the front.

He rejoined his regiment July 27th 1918 in the field where it was attached to the 150th Brigade, 50th Northumbrian Division. The division had sustained heavy casualties during 1918 at the First Battles of the Somme, the Battles of the Lys and the Battle of Aisne. The original infantry units left and were replaced until the division was considered strong enough for front line duty. The 2nd Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers re-entered the field at the beginning of October 1918.

Acting Captain Humphrey Stuart King Northumberland Fusiliers was assigned to “B” Company and killed in action at Le Catele during the attack on Prospect Hill, October 3rd 1918, one day before his 26th birthday. 

He is now at rest within Bellecourt British Cemetery, Aisne, France, circa 13 kilometres north of St. Quentin, France grave V. A. 3. This was not his original burial place as the Bellecourt British Cemetery after the Battle of St. Quentin, September 29th-October 2nd 1918 was made up of 73 dead, buried in what is now Plot I. The remainder of the burials, the majority of which were made up of Australian and South African as well as British soldiers, were made after the Armistice, brought in from surrounding cemeteries. The most likely place of his original burial, given the locality of his death, is Carriere British Cemetery, Bellicourt by a quarry to the east side of the Bellicourt-Bellenglise road which contained 27 graves from Australia and 8 from the United Kingdom, who fell in October 1918. Awards. Military Cross, British War Medal and Victory Medal.

All monies owed to the late Captain King from the Army were assigned jointly to his father-in-law Charles William Wheatley, colliery cashier and John William Robinson Esquire, colliery manager as were his personal effects in the sum of £219, probate Durham, April 14th 1919. 

His widow, who had remained at her parents’ home, The View, Marsden, South Shields, County Durham commissioned at a cost of 14 shillings 5 pence an additional inscription to be added to her late husband’s military headstone, it reads, “O HAPPY SAINT FOR EVER BLEST AT JESUS’ FEET NOW SAFE YOUR REST.” 

A memorial service was held for Captain King in the Parish Church, Crook, County Durham, soon after his demise. 

A stained glass window within St. Andrew’s Church, Marsden, commissioned by his widow was damaged by bombing during WW2 and lost when the church was demolished in 1960. He is also commemorated in the Northumberland Fusiliers Regimental Book of Remembrance held within Alnwick Castle, Northumberland, on a plaque at Hatfield College, Darlington Grammar School and Durham University where he was educated and at St. Peter’s Church, Wallsend.

It should be noted several document pertaining to Captain King give the date of his demise as October 4th 1918 and the rank of Lieutenant (Acting Captain) at the time of his demise. The CWGC gives the full rank of Captain and October 3rd 1918.

Humphrey Stuart’s brother, Reverend Reginald John L’Ecuyer King also served during WW1 as Lance Corporal, Inns of Court School of Law Officers’ Training Corps, 1918-June 1919, his nephew, John Sadgrove L’Ecuyer King, born October 5th 1924, whom he never knew, served during WW2 and survived the conflict.

The marriage of Humphrey Stuart and Josephine King was childless. Further details as regards Josephine King nee Wheatley are as yet unknown.

His mother Louise Matilda King nee Sadgrove died in Maidstone, Kent in 1942.

In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.

Humphrey Stuart King is remembered at Marsden on M52.01, at Darlington on D40.021, at Durham in D47.151, page 56, and in the 5th N.F. Book of Remembrance page 6.