A kingdon – campaign medals & military service

Notes: The records for Navy personnel pre 1853 has reference to Page 230 of the Navy Pay Office: Entry Books of Certificates of Service, which has a Henry Kingdon: Royal Navy Rating, having entered the service at the age of 14 years & having served from 09.08.1849 to 15.01.1855; This would indicate a birth year of ca.1835, unfortunately no birth place is recorded; This Rating appears to have served from age 14 to age 20 (a period of 6 years) & I believe that he or his executors may have made an Application for a Greenwich or Naval Pension to Whitehall on 28.05.1855;

My searches of Census records for the Navy & UK for a Henry Kingdon born ca.1835 & in the Royal Navy did reveal one prospect; I have a Henry Kingdon b.1836 in Plymouth & his Wife Ellen Kingdon b.1836 Ugborough, Devon both visiting #13, Russel Street, Plymouth St Andrew on the 1861 Census, Henry Kingdon is recorded as a Seaman in HM (could be RM?) Service; (This is obviously a boarding house of sorts as there were 9 other Royal Navy Seamen staying there on the same night); I did not find this couple in any other Census records? However, I did find a Ellen Hard from Ugborough (b.1836) living with her parents in Ugborough in 1841; Also found her aged 15 & working as a House Servant in Heaton Cottage, Modbury, Devon; I then found a Marriage between Henry Kingdon & Ellen Hard in 1^st Q 1861 in Totnes, Devon which could well be them? I have no other information;

Kingdon, Henry: Royal Marines, Private, served in China 1856 to 1860;

Notes: The ADM 171/31 reccords have information for the issue of the China War Medal to a Private, Henry Kingdon who was serving on board ‘HMS Camilla’ during the China War; It would appear that this Marine probably died on board ‘HMS Camilla’ in late 1860 off the east coast of Japan as this vessel sailed from Hakodate on 01.09.1860 bound for Tokyo Bay but was never seen again following a tropical storm in that area on 09.01.1860; His medal roll nomination records that he was “DD” under the medal issue column, this normally indicates “Discharged Dead”; There is no other information other than he was #15 on the ship’s books; Medals Roll on File; Insufficient information to identify;

Notes: I have a Medal Record from ADM 171/21 for sailors serving onboard ‘HMS Nile’ & another from 171/24 for Sailors who served on ‘HMS Arethusa’ in the Crimean War (1854 to 1856) which indicates that 1^st Class Boy, Henry Kingdon & Hy Kingdom were present onboard the ‘Nile’ & the ‘Arethusa’; He was awarded the Crimean War Medal, which was sent to him in Plymouth on 27.03.1857; This Sailor needs more research to find out who he is;

Notes: This is Henry Capp Kingdon born in 1886 in Methwold, Thetford, Norfolk, son of James Kingdon Inland Revenue Officer) b.1853 Thetford & Jessie Pratt from Norfolk who married in 1878 in Thetford; In 1891 he lived with his parents in Wigan, Lancashire; In 1901 Henry Kingdom is a 15 year old Pawn Broker’s Assistant, living with his parents in Horninglow, Staffordshire; The Regimental #7108 indicates an enlistment date between 16.05.1904 & 31.05.1905 making Henry Capp Kingdon aged 18 when he first joined the Army; In 1911 Census I found Henry Charles Kingdon b.1887 in Thetford serving as a Lance Corporal, Cook in the 1^st Lincolnshire Regiment, Absent at the time of the Census, serving in India; Henry Capp Kingdon also served in France from 13.08.1914, may have been a Prisoner of War; I think that he may also have died in Birmingham, Warwickshire in 1916 Aged 32; Medals Card on file;

Further Notes: Following research of a H.C. Kingdom who is buried in Witton Cemetery, Birmingham it would appear that the following soldier is the same person:

Kingdom, H. C: The King’s Liverpool Regiment; #34736 Private; - Died in WW1; In Memory of Private H C KINGDOM, #34736, 3rd Bn., The King's (Liverpool Regiment), who died on 30 March 1916, Remembered with honour Birmingham (Witton) Cemetery; Notes: This soldier served with the 3^rd Battalion which was a Reserve Battalion made up from recalled Reservists & remained in the UK during WW1; This would explain why H C Kingdom is buried in Witton Cemetery in Birmingham as this was attached to one of the Birmingham War Hospitals; A Death Record indicates that this is Henry C Kingdon who was born ca.1884; The CWGC record has him as a Kingdom but the Memorial Wall in Witton Cemetery has him as Kingdon? No Medals Card on file; (He is Cousin of #5633 RSM Albert Arthur Kingdon, Norfolk Regiment); (Cousin of #1445 WOII Edward Kingdon of the Coldstream Guards & the Military Provost Corps); (Brother of Private Edward Pratt Kingdom #24594, 11^th or 15^th Battalion, Sherwood Foresters (Notts & Derby Regiment), who died in July 1916 in France); His Great Grandmother was Mary Kingdon b.1787 Penarth, Glamorganshire, Wales, Widow of a Customs Excise Officer in 1871 in St Cuthbert’s Norfolk? Her Husband was George Kingdon b.1779 in Launceston, Cornwall; (Note: There is another Cousin also named Henry Capp, the brother of Albert Arthur & Edward Kingdon above, b.1888 in Yarmouth, thereby probably making him too young to have enlisted in 1904/5, although it is possible that I have the two Henry Capp Kingdons mixed up; In any case they are probably all related in the Norfolk Kingdon line); (I now believe that there is a Henry Charles Kingdon who also served with the Lincolnshire Regiment); (Also a George Frederick Samuel Kingdon #4570 North Staffordshire Regiment who is related);

Kingdon, Henry Francis: #R/483, Able Seaman, Royal Navy; ADM 339/1/21166, WW1;

Notes: This man’s records are incorrectly noted in the ADM 339 as Kingdom; I understand that the Official Naval Service Number of R/483 was issued for WW1 Service between 1914 & 1919; This is Henry Francis S. Kingdon, (not Kingdom as some records indicate), born 19.04.1898 in Fremington, near Barnstaple, Devon, the son of Frank Kingdon b.1866 Knowstone & Sarah Washer from Exeter who married in 1893 in South Molton; In 1901 Census Henry F. Kingdon lived with his parents at the Holy Trinity Vicarage in Barnstaple where his Father was the Gardener; In the1911 Census the family lived in Cemetery Lodge, Bear St Road in Barnstaple, Henry Kingdon was at School Aged 13 & his Father was the Caretaker of the Cemetery; Henry Francis Kingdon married Hilda Eva Benoke from Exeter in Barnstaple, Devon in 1921; Henry Francis Kingdon Died in 1974 in Tiverton, Devon Aged 76; ADM 171/127 records Henry F. Kingdon, A.B. #R/483, Awarded the Victory & the British War Medals; (He was the Brother of Kingdon, Hyla F: Royal North Devon Yeomanry No: 2750 Rank: Private 1914-1920 WO 372/11);

Notes: This is Henry Maurice Kingdon born 25.11.1894 in Clerkenwell, Holborn, London, however, he often went by the name Maurice Kingdon; He was the son of Henry (Harry) Kingdon, a Fitter b.1866 in Stepney & Sarah (Sally) Chown, (b.1870 Kilburn), who Married in 1894 in Lambeth; In the 1901 Census Maurice Kingdon is aged 6 & living with his parents at #136, Hornsey Park Road, Wood Green, Middlesex; I believe that this sailor probably enlisted between 01.01.1911 & 31.12.1911 which is indicated by his official number series, however, in the 1911 Census record Henry Maurice Kingdon is aged 16 & working as a Builder’s Boy but living with his parents at #12, Luxor Street, Camberwell; Henry M. Kingdon was serving on ‘HMS Ambrose’ at the end of WW1 when his medals were issued; I understand that Henry Maurice Kingdon Married Charlotte Rose Clara Williams, (b.25.08.1893 in Lambeth), on 25.12.1916 in St Peter’s Church, Islington & that he was a Sailor at the time, living at #5, Rheidol Terrace, Islington; I believe that this Sailor made a career out of the Royal Navy as the ADM 171/146 records indicate issue of his Royal Navy Long Service Medal on 30.03.1928; He stayed at #5, Rheidol Terrace, Islington, London, up until 1933 & in 1939 he lived at #16, Halstead Street, Brixton; I believe that Henry Maurice Kingdon Died in Lewisham in 1977 Aged 82; Awarded the 1914-15 Star, Victory & British War Medals; Issued with Royal Navy Long Service & good Conduct Medal; (He is the Brother of Kingdon, Cecil James: #1703 Gunner, Royal Garrison Artillery & #15621 Royal Marine Artillery);

Notes: There are more Records for this soldier in the Australian Military Files; This is Henry Rodney Robert Kingdon, a Farmer, born on 15.04.1885 in Wellington, New Zealand; He attended School in Wellington, worked for a short time as an Accountant with a Mercantile firm & then joined his Father on their home farm; In 1908 Henry Rodney Robert Kingdon went to Western Australia & took up a block of land in Denmark; He enlisted in the Australian Army on 20.10.1914 in Guildford, Western Australia & gave his Mother’s name, Jane Kingdon, Lower Hut, Wellington, New Zealand as his next of kin; (Kingdon Family research would suggest that he was from the Thorverton, Devon Kingdon family originally, who emigrated to New Zealand from Holsworthy/Exeter in England around the 1850’s); He is son of John Holman Kingdon & Elizabeth Jane Rayner; His Father was a Lawyer & Secretary to the Seddon Government in New Zealand; There is a record for this New Zealander serving with the Australian Expeditionary Forces in WW1 which is in the form of a nominal roll for the 10^th Light Horse Regiment; This soldier joined for duty as a Private in the Light horse Regiment on 20.10.1914 & embarked for Europe on 17.02.1915 from Freemantle on board the ‘HMAT Surada’ with ‘C’ Company, 10^th Light Horse Regiment, 3^rd Light Horse Brigade; He was promoted to Sergeant by 16.08.1915, & served at Gallipoli on 24.12.1915; By 14.06.1916 he was debilitated to hospital with Gonorrhea until 27.06.1916; He was again in hospital on 24.04.1917 in Egypt suffering with total Venereal Disease & sent to a rest camp in Port Said until 14.10.1917; Henry Rodney Robert Kingdon was Commissioned to the rank of 2^nd Lieutenant in 1917 whilst serving in Egypt with ‘C Squadron’, the 10^th Light Horse Regiment, the Desert Mounted Corps; The records show that he was promoted to Lieutenant on 21.02.1918 & served throughout the Gallipoli Campaign, also in Sinai, Palestine & Syria; This Officer was finally struck off strength on 27.09.1919; I understand that Henry Rodney Robert Kingdon Married Florence Belmont Reed (nee Byleveld) on 25.02.1920 in Denmark, Western Australia; I believe that he continued to farm the land he first settled on in 1908, becoming Secretary of the William Bay Settlers’ Association; I believe that Henry Rodney Robert Kingdon died on 20.09.1956 in Denmark, Western Australia Aged 72; Awarded 1914-15 Star for Service as a Lance Corporal with the 10^th Light Horse Regiment & The British War & Victory Medals; I understand that his daughter, Mrs. Norah (Nell) Boyce (nee Kingdon), of Box 2, Cranbrook, Western Australia 6321, requested her late Father’s Anzac Commemoration Medallion & Badge on 10.01.1968; (He was the Brother of Kingdon, Roy Raynor: #10/1873, Wellington Regiment, New Zealand Expeditionary Force; - Died in WW1 - aged 24 on 16 June 1915 at Gallipoli);

Notes: This is Henry William Kingdon born 30.05.1884 in Glastonbury, Somerset; He is the son of William Kingdon, a Mason b.1853 in Goodleigh, Devon & Louisa Jane Bond from Wincanton, Somerset, who married in Wincanton in 1876; (For my family records he is the Grandson of William Kingdon b.1819 Bratton Fleming & Susan ??); In 1891 Census Henry William Kingdon lived with his parents at #76, Bove Town in Glastonbury, Somerset; In 1901 he was probably recorded as ‘Harry’ Kingdon Aged 16, a Mason’s Apprentice, living with his parents at #9, Victoria Square, Portland, Dorset; There is a Militia Service note on record for Harry William Kingdon, b.1884, Glastonbury, Gloucestershire, so I assume that he joined the local militia at some point from here? This young man then sailed to Canada, probably on board the ‘SS Sicilian’ to Quebec in May 1907 Aged 22, Harry Kingdon a Labourer intending to work as a Railroad Labourer in Winnipeg; Canadian Army Records 3439436a & 439436b indicate that, on 18.11.1915 Hy William Kingdon signed his Canadian Attestation papers in Winnipeg, Manitoba, stating that he was aged 31 years & was a Labourer living at the Northern Hotel, Winnipeg; He gave his next of kin as his Father William Kingdon, #54, Nortoft Road, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England; He was enlisted into ‘D’ Company of the Canadian Overseas Expeditionary Force as #440914; I then found a record indicating that #440194 Private Henry William Kingdon returned to Canada onboard the ‘SS Scandinavian’ (Olympic in Records), on 22.07.1916 suffering from some form of blood inflammation, serious enough to be repatriated home form a Field Casualty Centre; I then discovered a second set of Canadian Army Records #439437a & 439437b, indicating that on 28.05.1917 Henry Wm Kingdon, now aged 32 years was again Attested into the 76^th Depot Battery C.F.A with the #1250407; He gives his trade as Stonemason & lives at #348 Hargrave Street, Winnipeg, He did not declare that he had served previously but gives his date & place of birth as 30.05.1884, Glastonbury, Somersetshire, England; He also declared that his next of kin was his Father Wm Kingdon, #54, Nortoft road, Bournemouth, England; I presume that he was enlisted into the 76^th Battery; Having again served overseas Private Henry William Kingdon is returned home to Winnipeg, Canada for Dispersal & Discharge on the ‘SS Cedric’ in 1919; I believe that there is a Chelsea Pensioner’s record for Harry Kingdon, b.1885 Glastonbury, Somerset on file; (He is the Brother of Kingdon, Frederick Percy: Dorsetshire Regiment No: 10616 Rank: Private 1914-1920 WO 372/11 SEE ALSO Kingdom, Frederick P: Royal Army Medical Corps No: 126610 Rank: Private 1914-1920 WO 372/11); (He is also the Brother of John Kingdon b.1877 in Wincanton, who served in a Militia Unit); I have not researched this soldier any further;

Notes: Also served in the Royal Field Artillery as #866172; Herbert E. Kingdon Enlisted on 07.03.1913; He was Discharged on 21.06.1918, having previously served overseas, under King’s Regulations Para 392 (xvi) 2 (a) (i) at the age of 23 for Sickness; He was discharged as a Staff Sergeant from the 4^th Reserve Battery (Territorials) Royal Field Artillery serving at Charlton; & Woolwich; This is probably Herbert Edward Kingdon who was born in Braunton in 1896, registered in Barnstaple, Devon as there are no other possibilities; If I am correct then Herbert Edward Kingdon was the son of Samuel Kingdon, a Tailor b.1870 in Braunton or Goodleigh, Devon & Ida Evelyne Mitchell from Braunton who married in 1894 in Braunton; In 1901 Herbert E Kingdon lived with his parents in Heanton Street, Braunton; I believe that Herbert E Kingdon Married Doris Edith Challacombe in 1932 in Barnstaple, Devon; Herbert E Kingdon may well have died in 1965 in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire Aged 69; Awarded the Silver War Badge #412252 as Staff Sergeant Herbert Edwd. Kingdon; Medals Card on file;

Notes: There are no real clues as to this soldier’s identity on the MIC card; However, there was a possible Herbert Harry B. Kingdon born on 15.06.1887 in Williton, Somerset who died in Somerset in 1977 Aged 89; He married Christina Blake in 1912 in Williton, Somerset; Medals Card on file; Not researched further;

Notes: Medal Card on file states that he also Died? I can find no other references to this soldier?

Notes: This #8162 Devonshire Regiment needs checking as the records also refer to Kingdon, Albert H: Devonshire Regiment No: 8162 Rank: Private 1914-1920 WO 372/11 - Died in WW1 on 21.01.1915 & is recorded elsewhere in this document;

I believe that this should be Kingdon, Herbert James: Devonshire Regiment No: 205418 Rank: Private; - Died in WW1; Private Herbert James Kingdon, #205418, 4th Battalion, Devonshire Regiment, who died aged 46, on 27^th June 1917; Son of John and Elizabeth Kingdon, of George Nympton; Husband of the late Bessie Kingdon. Remembered with honour in the George Nympton (St. George’s) Churchyard Extension in Devon; Notes: This is Herbert James Kingdon born on 05.03.1872 & baptised on 28.04.1872 in George Nympton, Devon, the son of John Kingdon b.23.11.1828 in Rose Ash & Elizabeth Wotton b.09.05.1830 in George Nympton, who married on 05.12.1852 in George Nympton; In 1881 Herbert James Kingdon lived with his parents in George Nympton Village; In 1891 he was an Agricultural Labourer living with his married brother in George Nympton; Herbert James Kingdon Married Bessie Speed (b.1876 George Nympton) on 18.04.1900 in George Nympton; Herbert & Bessie lived in the same village of George Nympton in 1901 & also in 1911; I can find no Military Service Records for him; Enlistment dates for the #8162 number are between 08.05.1906 & 13.02.1907; Ancestry.com has a WW1 Death Record which states that he was born in Plympton, Devon, resided in South Molton, Devon & enlisted in Plymouth but I find this to be probably incorrect; No Medals Card found?