A kingdon – campaign medals & military service

Notes: Also served as #WR289539 indicating that he served with a Waterways & Railway Unit; This Soldier served in Egypt from 30.12.1915; Medals Card on file; Insufficient information to identify with any certainty; Further Notes: Further research following discovery of an entry Reference #212 in the Spring 1919 Absent Voters List for South Molton Division, Devon, Parish of Bishops Nympton for James Kingdon of Kerscott Cottage, who was serving with the 116^th Railway Company, Royal Engineers as a Sapper #105699; This is James Kingdon born in 1886 in Rose Ash, Devon the son of William Kingdon, a Farm Labourer b.1863 Bishops Nympton & Charlotte Tucker Loosemore from Mariansleigh, Devon who Married in 1882 in Barton Regis; James Kingdon lived with his parents at Stone Lake, Bishops Nympton in 1891 Census; In 1901 Census James Kingdon lived with his parents at Higher Fyldon in North Molton & is an Agricultural Horse Carter on a Farm; In 1911 Census James Kingdon is aged 26, a Farm Labourer & living with his parents in Kerscott Cottage, Bishops Nympton, Devon; (He could also be the Brother of one of the Ernest Kingdons who served in WW1 – See comments on Ernest ‘choices’ in this paper);

Notes: There is a Royal Navy Wills Record for a James Kingdon of Blackawton, Devon, in 1796, serving onboard ‘HMS Bull Dog’; Admon was granted to Widow Elizabeth Kingdon (was this his Mother or his Wife?); (I have a possible child who was baptised as James Kingdom in Blackawton on 12.02.1793, son of James & Elizabeth Kingdom); There is no other information; ‘HMS Bulldog’ was a 16 gun sloop, launched in 1782, served in & won the Battle Honour for St Lucia 1796 in the French Revolutionary War & was later converted to a Bomb Vessel in 1798; No other information for this sailor or his family;

Notes: I believe that this is James Arthur Kingdon born in Exeter in 1883, son of ?? Kingdon b.?? ?? & ??; (This could be James Arthur Kingdon b.1883 in Dawlish who is living in Black Torrington, Halwell in 1891 Census with parents, James Kingdon b.1838 Swimbridge a Gamekeeper & Elizabeth? b.1850 Buckland Filleigh – but this needs more research; His Father James may well have served in the 11^th Regiment of Infantry, as #49513 or #3727 who served 21 years in the Army, of which 12 years were in the East Indies; He served from 15.06.1855 to 01.05.1877); Enlistment dates for this number were between 03.01.1901 & 10.03.1902; Private James Arthur Kingdon was serving in St George’s Barracks in Malta in 1911 Census with the 2^nd Battalion Devonshire Regiment, he is single & aged 28. He obviously served before the WW1; He also served with the 3/4 Devonshire Regiment with the numbers #3853 & #267027; He also had additional Clasps and Roses for the 1914 Star which he had to have applied for; Medals Card on file; This Record needs a lot more research by me? Lt Col Flick's book has Private J. A. Kingdon, #267027 serving with ‘D’ Company of the 6^th Battalion the Devonshire Regiment:

Notes: This is James Alexander Kingdon b.1880 in New Zealand, the son of Josiah Stephens Kingdon, b.1842 in Bodmin, Cornwall, England & Catherine Johnson who Married in 1868 in New Zealand; In 1905 & 1906 James Alexander Kingdon is recorded as a Labourer in Yaldhurst, Courtenay, Wellington, New Zealand; I believe that James Alexander Kingdon married Elizabeth Kennedy in 1907, I don’t believe that they had any children; In 1914 he is a Yardman & living with his wife in Raurimu, Waimarino, Bay of Plenty; James Alexander Kingdon enlisted with the New Zealand Expeditionary Force, is recorded as having ‘Gone into Camp’ on 04.01.1917 & finally Embarked from Wellington for Devonport England with ‘F’ Company of the Canterbury Infantry Regiment on 14.03.1917 on board ‘HMNZT 29 Ruapehu’; By 10.10.1917 I understand that J.A. Kingdon was reported as being ‘Not a Severe Case’ but there are no details, was he simply sick? On 27.11.1918 there is a Casualty List #1009/2 for this Soldier, advising that he had been wounded; On the 17.07.1919 I understand that J.A. Kingdon was returning from the War to Raurimu, New Zealand on board the ‘HMNZT Briton’ sailing from Tilbury, England to Auckland; In 1919 electoral roll he is again recorded as a Yardman in Ohura, Waitomo; I seem to lose him then until 1935 & 1938 when James Alexander & Ann Kingdon, a Yardman, are living in Ongarue, Waimarino, Bay of Plenty; (I have no proof but would query whether his wife Elizabeth Kingdon died, changed her name or left him in the period prior to 1935 & would therefore suggest that James Alexander Kingdon remarried an Ann ??, although I have no records); In 1946 I found James Alexander & Ann Kingdon registered at Park Avenue, Otahuhu, Auckland; In 1949 James Alexander & Ann Kingdon are registered at #20, Peer Street, Selwyn, with no occupation shown & his spinster sister Frances Mary Kingdon is registered at the same address; In 1957 James Alexander & Ann Kingdon are registered as Pensioners at #28, Wilkinson road, SE6, Onehunga, Auckland; James Alexander Kingdon died in 1958 Aged 77, & I believe that his wife Ann Kingdon Died in 1963 Aged 89; (He was the Brother of Kingdon, Albert John: New Zealand, 1st Division Reservist, 1916 WW1); (He was the Brother of Kingdon, Charles Ford: New Zealand, 2nd Division Reservist, 1917 WW1); (He was the Brother of Kingdon, Stanley Craig: #8/3828, 2^nd Battalion, Otago Infantry Regiment, New Zealand Army, WW1); (He was the Brother of Kingdon, George: New Zealand, 1st Division Reservist, 1916 WW1);

Notes: This Sailor’s Records would indicate that he was James George Kingdon, born 18.03.1837 in Landport, Portsea, Portsmouth, Hampshire; He was the son of John Kingdon, a Shipwright b.1793 in Barnstaple, Devon, & Sarah Bevis from Portsea, who Married on 13.05.1815 in St Mary’s Portsea, Hampshire; In the 1841 & the 1851 Census James Kingdon lives with his parents in Spring Street, Portsea, Portsmouth, Hampshire; I believe that James George Kingdon Volunteered for the Royal Navy 0n 01.07.1853 & served as a Boy until the 17.03.1855 when he signed on for a full 10 years service in the Royal Navy; I believe that his first ship was the ‘HMS Prince Regent’ (launched in 1823); I also believe that James George Kingdon served in the late stages of the Crimean War on ‘HMS Neptune’ as his name appears on the Medal Roll, the Baltic Medal being issued to him on 19.08.1857 when he was serving aboard ‘HMS Swallow’; In the 1861 Census Able Seaman Jas G Kingdon Aged 24 is serving on board ‘HMS Renard’ as Ship’s Book #51 Able Seaman, at Chefoo; I understand that James George Kingdon Married Elizabeth Elms (b.1836 in Sheffield) in Portsea in 1868; In 1871 Census James G. & Elizabeth Kingdon live at #14, Taylor’s Court in Portsea, he is still a serving RN Seaman; His 1^st wife Elizabeth Kingdom (nee Elms) seems to have died in 1875 in Portsea Aged 39 & James George Remarried to Elizabeth Male, (b.1852 Portsmouth), in Portsea in 1877; In the 1881 Census James G & Elizabeth Kingdom, now a Royal Naval Pensioner, live in Eagle Cottage, Cottage Lane, Portsea, however, there is also a Census record for James Kingdon, Aged 44, ‘Not on Board’ ‘HMS Asia’ in Portsmouth & recorded as an AB Pensioner; In 1891 James & Elizabeth Kingdon live at #32, Alver Road, Portsea; In 1901 James & Elizabeth Kingdon live at #6, Ethel Road, Portsmouth; In 1911 Census James & Elizabeth Kingdon live at #6, Ethel Road, Kingston & East Southsea, Portsmouth; I believe that James George Kingdon Died in 1918 in Portsmouth Aged 81; Awarded the China Medal for service on ‘HMS Renard (Reynard)’ 1856-1860; (He is the Brother of Kingdon, Edward: Royal Navy, Continuous service #28405A; ADM 139/685); (He is the Father of the following - James John Kingdon, a Coast Guard Petty Officer #PO/128972 who Died in WW1 aboard HMS India on 08.08.1915 off Norway; - Kingdon, Charles Walter: Royal Field Artillery No: 47983 Rank: Sergeant 1914-1920 WO 372/11; - Kingdon, Edward Arthur: #220316 Leading Seaman, Royal Navy who served in WW1; - Kingdon, Harry: #208949 Leading Seaman, Royal Navy; - Kingdon, William George: Petty Officer 1^st Class, #155575, Royal Navy);

Notes: I believe that with a Regimental number of #4570 that James L Kingdon served in the Territorial Force of the Highland Light Infantry prior to WW1; This Soldier also served with the King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry as # 64312, probably the 1^st or 2^nd Battalions; Insufficient Information to identify;

Notes: There is a record for a James Kingdon, from Barnstaple, serving with the Royal Marines at their Barracks in East Stonehouse, Plymouth in 1861; There are other records, with little information, that indicate a Sergeant James Kingdon being Discharge from the Royal Marines in 1870/1871? I believe that this is probably James William Kingdon, born 1827 in Barnstaple, the son of William James Kingdon (b.1787/91 in Torrington, Devon) & Mary Baron Baker from Barnstaple who Married in 1822 in Barnstaple; In 1841 James Kingdon lived with his parents in Barnstaple but I cannot find him in 1851 Census? In 1861 I found a Sergeant J Kingdon serving at the Royal Marine Barracks, Plymouth Division, in East Stonehouse, Plymouth; James William Kingdon Married Elizabeth Ann Prout (b.1832 in Modbury) in Plymouth in 1862; In 1871 Census James & Elizabeth Kingdon are the Innkeepers at the ‘Salutation’ Pub in Castle Street in Barnstaple, Devon; In 1881 Census James & Elizabeth Kingdon live at #10, Green Lane, Barnstaple, he is recorded as a Greenwich Pensioner; In 1891 Census they live on their own means at #37, Richmond Street, Barnstaple; I believe that James William Kingdon Died at that address on 21.04.1894, he was aged ??; (He was the Father of Kingdon, Thomas Baron Baker: #113097, Royal Navy);

Notes: This is Jesse Kingdon born in 1860 in South Molton, the son of James Kingdon b.05.05.1822 in Knowstone & Susanna Smith from Bishops Nympton, who married in South Molton in 1849; In 1861 he was 10 months old & lived with his parents in South Molton, Devon; In1871 Census he lived with his parents in East street, South Molton; In 1881 I believe that he was a platelayer labourer in Swansea, Wales; Jesse Kingdon enlisted in Bristol on 29.11.1881 and joined the Army at Dover on 03.12.1881, he was 21 years & 6 months old and a Labourer; He served for 12 years & was discharged on 28.11.1893, with 7 years & 161 days counting towards his Pension; He had served for 3 years & 62 in England & Dublin; For 226 days in Malta in 1885; For 1 year & 179 days in Shaib Settlements in the Himalayas from 1885 to 1887; For 2 years & 46 days in India and finally for 4 years & 217 days in England; (His records accurately record his elder siblings at the time he enlisted); (As was usual with serving soldiers in those days, Jesse had 2 cases of Gonorrhea in 1882 & a dose of Syphilis in 1888); In 1891 he lived with his brother George in Fishponds, Gloucestershire and is a General Labourer; Jesse Kingdon Marries Bessie Fry from Highbridge, Somerset in Barton Regis in 4^th Q 1891; Unfortunately Jesse Kingdon died in 1897 in Barton Regis, Gloucestershire & in 1901 his Widow lived in Bristol, she then remarries to her 2^nd husband William Jenkins in 1907 but he dies and finally she marries to Jesse’s brother George Kingdon in 1916 in Bristol (his wife had died in 1915);

Notes: Devon Heritage Site has a reference to DEVON'S 2^nd BOER WAR ROLL OF HONOUR 1899 – 1902 - KINGDON, J - (Son of John Kingdon 1852 & Mary Ann Lock - Bishops Nympton); Private John Kingdon of the 2nd Battalion, the Devonshire Regiment; Son of John and Mary Ann Kingdon. Born in Bishops Nympton in 1880. Wrote a letter about the Battle of Colenso in the Boer War, the last big battle of the war, which was published in a newspaper; The Battle of Colenso was fought on the 15.12.1899; I believe this soldier to be John Kingdon born 1882 in Bishops Nympton, Devon; He is the son of John Kingdon, an Agricultural Labourer, b.1852 in Romansleigh, Devon & Mary Ann Lock from Bishops Nympton who Married in 1873; In 1891 Census John lived with his parents at Knowles Down, Bishops Nympton; In 1901 John Kingdon is a Farm Labourer living with his parents at Poole Cottage, Bishops Nympton; I believe that he is a Police Sergeant in Bishops Nympton in 1928? I found no Medal Rolls for him; ((He is the brother of Charles Kingdon who served in WW1 as #28483 in the Grenadier Guards); (He is also a brother of William Kingdom who also served in WW1 as #19131 Devonshires & #P13292 Military Foot Police); (He is also the brother of Bertram Kingdon who served in WW1 #4/122407 Army Service Corps & #41026 Gloucestershires & #5881 Leinster Regiment);

Notes: Also served with the Devonshire Regiment as #345181; Served in Gallipoli & the Dardanelles from 23.09.1915; (The Royal North Devon Yeomanry 1/1^st history: August 1914: in Barnstaple, Part of the 2^nd South Western Mounted Brigade; October 1915: dismounted and moved to Gallipoli. Withdrew back to Egypt on 30 December 1915; In February 1916: Brigade was absorbed into 2^nd Dismounted Brigade; 4 January 1917: merged with Royal 1^st Devonshire Yeomanry to form the 16^th (Royal 1^st Devon and North Devon Yeomanry) Battalion, the Devonshire Regiment and came under orders of 229^th Brigade in 74^th (Yeomanry) Division. Moved to France, landing at Marseilles 7 May 1918); Medals Card on file; Insufficient Information to identify further;

Notes: I believe that this is probably John Kingdon born in 1877 in Wincanton, Somerset as this matches the basic information contained in the Militia List; 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; In the 1881 Census John Kingdon, Aged 4, lived with his parents in West Hill, Wincanton, Somerset; In the 1891 Census John Kingdon, Aged 14 & already working as a General Labourer, lived with his parents at #76, Bove Town in Glastonbury, Somerset; Unfortunately I lost this man after 1881? (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 the Brother of Henry William Kingdon who served with the Canadian Overseas Expeditionary Force, initially with ‘D’ Company #440914 & later with the 76^th Depot Battery #1250407); I have not researched this soldier any further;

Notes: Extensive research would indicate that this is John Kingdon baptised 10.02.1805 in Fremington, Devon; If I am correct then this is the son of Richard Kingdon, b.1779 Fremington & Mary Holland, who Married on 17.04.1803 in Fremington, Devon; I cannot find any Census Records for John Kingdon until the 1851 Census for Bishops Tawton Village where John & Patience Kingdon are recorded; John Kingdon is shown as being a Chelsea Pensioner & there is a Record for a John Kingdom from 1837 Barnstaple in the Chelsea Pensioner’s list; In 1851 Census there is also a Son in Law named Thos’ Down living with them; Further searches reveal that John Kingdon had Married a Widow named Patience Down in the 3^rd Q of 1845 in Barnstaple & that she was previously married to a William Down on 04.04.1824 in Bishops Tawton, her Maiden name being Patience Shapland or Shopland; Patience Shapland was baptised in Bishops Tawton on 31.07.1794; (In the 1841 Census Patience Down & her son Thomas Down were living 7 working as a Nurse for an elderly Elizabeth Grey in Bishops Tawton Village); In 1861 Census John & Patience Kingdon still lived in Bishops Tawton Village but John Kingdon Died in the 2^nd Q 1865; In 1871 Census Patience Kingdon is a Widow living in Landkey Town, Devon; Patience Kingdon Died in the 1^st Q 1874 in Barnstaple, Devon; I have no other information;

Notes: This is probably John S. Kingdon born 1872 in Kingswear, Dartmouth; His Father was George Kingdon a Millwright of Dart View, West Dartmouth, Devon, born 1831 & baptised in Broadclyst on 27.03.1831 & Sarah from Broadclyst; In 1881 John lived with his parents at #1, Agra Cottages, Kingswear; In 1891 the family lived in Dart View in Brixham, Devon, both John & his Father are Engineers; John Kingdon was a Fitter in Civilian life & he enlisted in Newcastle Upon Tyne on 13.01.1894 into the Royal Engineers as #27941; He seems to have suffered with Bronchitis for 40 days of his service & spent much of this time in hospital; Sapper John Kingdon was eventually Discharged on 13.04.1894 at Chatham – his records are marked “Fitter Indifferent”? He had only served for 91 Days & was discharged in consequence of his not being qualified as a Fitter for the Corps of Royal Engineers & probably also for his bronchitis; I did not originally research any further;

Further research has revealed that this is also John Sampson Kingdom who is Remembered on the Tower Hill War Memorial in London for his Death during WW1, at the age of 40, when he was serving in the Mercantile Marine as a Trimmer & was on board the ‘RMS Hesperian’ when she was sunk by the German Submarine U20 on 04.09.1915; There is some proof that he may have been employed by the Canadian Merchant Service at that time as there are Canadian Great War Project records for Trimmer John Kingdom’s Death also; The CWGC Certificate indicates that he was the son of the late George & Sarah Kingdon & Husband of Emilie Kingdon (nee Perry), of #38, Cranmer street, Stanley Road, Liverpool, Lancashire, England; This record also has his birth place as Dartmouth in Devon; I failed to find John Kingdon in the 1901 Census, perhaps he was at sea; In the 1911 Census I found John Sampson Kingdon, (b.1870 in Torquay) & Wife Annie Kingdon, (b.1870 in Liverpool), boarding & working as a Dock Labourer at #27, Borland Street, Bootle, Liverpool, Lancashire; I believe that they Married on 22.01.1908 in St Nicholas Church, Liverpool & that her name at that time was Annie Bethel & not Emilie Perry (her wedding banns record her Father as Richard Perry); Follow up research indicates that she was a 43 year old Widow at the time of her marriage & John Sampson Kingdon was a 40 year old Engineer; Awarded the 1914/15 Star, British War Medal & the Victory Medal;