A kingdon – campaign medals & military service

Notes: There is some confusion with this record, as there appear to be two Enlistments/Attestations for the same person? There is a Thomas Sidney Kingdon, born 13.09.1878 in Barnstaple, Devon, England, living at #202 Jamison, East Hamilton, Ontario, a Married Fitter who had served previously with the A.S.C. for 3 months, who Attested for WW1 service on 23.08.1915 in Hamilton, Ontario; He gave his wife’s details as Helena B. Kingdon & was aged 36 years & 3 months at the time; The second record is for a Thomas Sydney Kingdom (but he signs as Kingdon), born 13.11.1879 in Barnstaple, Devon, England, living at #17, West Avenue, North Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, a Married Chauffeur who had served for 6 months previously with A.M.S, who Attested for WW1 Service on 11.02.1915 in Toronto; He gave his wife’s details as Helena Beatrice Kingdom & was also aged 36 years & 3 months at the time? I believe that these records are for the same person as there are too many exactly similar details; It is possible that he enlisted in two different places in 1915 as he was perhaps tired of waiting to be called up from the February attempt or because he had changed addresses? I would suggest that this is Thomas Sidney Kingdon born 13.09.1878 in Barnstaple, Devon (there are no records for any matching Kingdon in November 1879 as noted on the 2^nd attestation papers); He is the son of George Kingdon a Ship’s Carpenter, b.1833 in Barnstaple & Matilda Loosemore b.1834 Barnstaple who Married in 1855 in Barnstaple; In1881 Census Tomas Kingdon is aged 2 years & lives with his parents in Lemons Houses in Pilton, Barnstaple; In 1891 Thomas Sidney Kingdon is aged 13 years & is with his married sister Edith Matilda Gould & her husband as boarders in Swansea, Wales; I believe that Thomas Sidney Kingdon Marries Helena Beatrice Trezise (a widow or a divorcee with children), nee Phillips b.1868 Bristol, in Barnstaple in 1899; The Kingdon family then emigrate to Canada on separate vessels in 1910 – Thomas on the ‘SS Tunisia’ 15.05.1910 & Helen Beatrice & their 2 children on the ‘SS Laurentic’; In the 1911 Canada Census, Thomas Sidney & Helena Kingdon live in Hamilton, Ontario; I understand that Private #174320 Thomas Kingdon sailed from Liverpool, England on the Canadian forces 5^th Sailing of 1918 for Medically Unfit Soldiers, returning to Canada for Discharge; Thomas Sidney Kingdon died in Hamilton, Ontario on 11.12.1925 of Septic Pneumonia; This Soldier needs more research;

Notes: This is Thomas Wesley Kingdon born 30.07.1896 in Gore, Southland, commonly known as Wes Kingdon; He was the son of Arthur Henry Kingdon, a Farmer b.1863 & Elizabeth Falconer, who Married in 1894; Prior to WW1 Service Thomas Wesley lived with his parents in Gore & was involved in Farming; This soldier enlisted in in the Otago Infantry in 1917 & embarked for Devonport in England from Wellington, New Zealand on 12.06.1917 on board the ‘HMNZT 87 Tahiti’, with the 1^st Draft of the 27^th Reinforcements, New Zealand Expeditionary Force; He served in France where he was wounded on 09.10.1918 & subsequently invalided back to England for treatment; He remained in an English Hospital until being transferred back to New Zealand with #231 Draft onboard the Hospital Ship ‘Maheno’ in 1919, arriving home on 20.04.1919; He then began his recovery at the local hospital in Gore, Southlands before returning to Farming; From then until 1938 he was recorded as being a Farmer in Gore, Mataura before marrying a Mary Simpson ?? in ??; In1946 & 1949 they were still Farming in Gore but residing at #3, Howard Street; In 1957, 1963 & 1969 they were still at the same address but Thomas Wesley Kingdon was a Storeman; By the year 1972 & 1978 he had Retired but they continued to live at #3, Howard Street, Gore, Wallace, Southlands; In 1981 Thomas Wesley & Mary Simpson Kingdon lived at #30, Main Street, Gore; I did not research further;

Notes: In the Spring 1919 Absent Voters List for Devon, South Molton District, Parish of Morchard Bishop there is reference #5558 to a Kingdon, Tom – Rudge Rewe (No service details given); Following research this is obviously Tom Kingdon born 1^st Q 1899 Crediton 5b.364 (Morchard Bishop); He was the son of Charles Kingdon, a Farmer b.1864 Colebrooke, Devon & Alice Sarah Fish, from Brompton Ralph in Somerset, who married in 1891 in Islington, London; In the 1901 & the 1911 Censuses he lived with his Parents at Rudge Rewe Farm, Morchard Bishop, Devon; Tom Kingdon enlisted in the Royal Marine Artillery, Short Service, on 14.06.1918; Tom Kingdon Married Dorothy Annie Ellicott, b.1890 St Mary Church, Devon, in Crediton in 1925, Children Marjorie Ethel b.1926 Morchard Bishop & John Sylvanus b.1927 Morchard Bishop; After emigrating to Canada on the ‘SS Aurania’ on 26.05.1928, Tom Kingdon lives at #368, Edmonton Street, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada; (Tom’s Wife Dorothy Annie Kingdon & Children, as immigrants, plus Tom’s Mother, Alice Sarah Kingdon now a Widow, travel to Canada on the ‘SS Aurania’ on the 18.05.1929,); (This man is part of the Coldridge Kingdon family line, see the Kingdon Book 1932); I can find no Medals card for this man & presume that he joined the War very late on & did not serve overseas, however later research of ADM 171/169 indicates award of the British War Medal; (He is the Brother of Kingdon, Charles S (Charles Sylvanus Kingdon): Royal Garrison Artillery No: 65306 Rank: Corporal 1914-1920 WO 372/11);

Notes: This is Tom Kingdon born 1863 Dulverton, son of Jacob Kingdon b.1836 Kings Brompton & Maria Quick from Dulverton; In 1871 & 1881 Tom Kingdon lived with his parents in Dulverton, Somerset; The ADM 157 Records indicate that this Tom Kingdom, born 1863 in Somerset, was Attested in 1882 for Service with the Royal Marines at the age of 19; He was also Discharged in 1883 as paid 10 Pounds; Tom Kingdon Married Louisa Gardener from Corsham, Wiltshire on 28.06.1888 in Chippenham, Wiltshire; In 1891 they lived in Ystradyfodwg, Glamorgan, Wales next door to widowed Grandfather Jacob Kingdon; In 1901 they lived back in Dulverton, Somerset, Tom was a Mason’s Labourer in the Summer & a Tree Feller in the Winter; In the 1911 Census Tom & Louisa Kingdon live in Mill Green, Dulverton, Tom is a Mason working for a Builder; Tom Kingdon enlisted in the Royal Defence Corps on 01.02.1915 aged 30 Years & was discharged on 19.09.1918; He also joined as #20664 in the Somerset Light Infantry at the time of Enlistment; Having suffered a Rupture/Hernia in service as a Storeman at Tidworth, he was issued a truss & allotted to Tree Felling Duties after his injury. In total he served for 3 Years & 231 Days; He was awarded a Pension/Gratuity for his injury; Private Tom Kingdon was Discharged on 19.09.1918 under King’s Regulations Para 392 (xvi) for Sickness at the age of 55 years & it is recorded that he never served overseas; Awarded the Silver War Badge #B12952; Medals Card on file; (He was the Father of, Luther John Kingdon Private #25466 Wiltshire Regiment & #M/410958 RASC who also served in WW1);

Notes: This is Victor Percy Kingdon born 24.05.1900 in Huntsham, Devon & baptised there on 01.07.1900, the son of John Kingdon, a Domestic Gardener b.1870 Bishops Nympton & Mary Anna Didham, b.1862 Colyton, Devon, who married in Somerset in 1892; (BDM records has Victor Percy Kingdom); In 1901 Victor Percy Kingdon lived with his parents in Rectory Lodge, Huntsham, Devon, his Father is a Gardener; In the 1911 Census Victor Percy is aged 10 & lived with his parents at Gadbridge, Thurlbeere, Taunton, Somerset, his Father is a Farm Labourer; There is no indication of when Victor Percy Kingdon enlisted in the Army for WW1 Service; Victor Percy Kingdon Married Hilda Littlejohns in Taunton in 1926, (probably b.07.12.1901 in Taunton, Somerset); I believe that Victor Percy Kingdon Died in May 1985 in Yeovil, Somerset Aged 85; Medals Card on file; (He is the Brother of Kingdon, Alfred John Walter: Leicestershire Regiment No: 235220 Rank: Private 1914-1920 WO 372/11who also served in WW1);

Notes: Birth given as 01.01.1900 Near Bampton in Devon; Service (??) Date range 01.01.1908 – 31.12.1955;

Notes: No other information but a Date range of 01.01.1908 – 31.12.1955;

Notes: No other information; ADM 171/122 records the issue of WW1 Medals, Victory & British War Medals;

Notes: #4352 Gloucester Regiment denotes enlistment between 24.01.1894 & 13.08.1895; This Soldier also served as an Air Mechanic, Class III Rigger with #103 Squadron Royal Air force HQ, Ground Staff in France in 1918; Further research revealed that he was #405280 Kingdon V. W. who enlisted in the Muster of the Royal Air force on Transfer from the Army on 01.06.1915 as his Royal Air Force number block suggests; Following on, I now believe that this is actually William Victor Kingdon born 1894 in Barton Regis, Gloucestershire as we can find no records for a Victor W Kingdon other than his Military one. I understand that he was generally known as Victor Kingdon; He was the son of William J. Kingdon, a Cabinet Maker b.1871 in St James, Bristol & Louisa Nicholson from Bedminster who Married in 1892 in Barton Regis, Gloucestershire; In 1901 William (B) Kingdon aged 7 lived with his parents in #17, Unity Street, Bristol & at the same address in the 1911 Census where William is now a 17 year old Cabinet Maker (Furniture) just like his Father; William Victor Kingdon died in 1926 in Bristol Aged 32; Medals Card on file for the British War & Victory Medals; I did not research any further;

Notes: The 1^st Battalion South Staffords served in South Africa from 1900 & were mostly involved in minor skirmishes with the Boers, returning to England in 1904; There are Medal Rolls for Private W. Kingdon for service in South Africa in the Boer War; One is dated 30.06.1903 & the other dated 14.09.1903 in Harrismith O.R.C; Medals awarded were: King’s South Africa; Queen’s South Africa; Clasps South Africa 1901 & 1902; Clasps Transvaal; Insufficient information to identify this soldier;

Notes: This soldier appears to have died from illness and not from enemy action, this cemetery was also used for soldiers who died at one of the nearby General Hospitals in Le Treport; His Ancestry WW1 Death record says that he died from disease and that his grave is unknown or not recorded, his Mother is recorded as Eva Hocker, #2, Pound Street, Liskeard, Cornwall; Another Record states that he died of Dysentery in the 16^th General Hospital in Le Treport, death was due to privation & exposure while on active service! (This record also has this information: 2nd RM Bn. Draft for BEF 19/5/17, Invalided to UK (undated, sick); 2^nd RM Bn. Draft for BEF 3/4/18-18/9/18 DD.; And the following: Notes: CWGC = W. Kingdom, RM Bn.; ADM/159 = William John Yendell Kingdon; Papers misfiled in back of ADM/157/2734 (W-Y 1918), signature reads "Kingdon"; GRO & ADM/242 = William J.Y. Kingdon, 2^nd RM Bn.; Mother, Eva Hocker, 2 Pound St., Liskeard, Cornwall);

This is actually William John Yendall Kingdon born in Launceston, Cornwall on 15.11.1896; He is the son of Thomas Kingdon, a Blacksmith born 1867 in Polbathick, Cornwall, & Eva Jane Carne, b.05.10.1867 in Doddycross, Menheniot, Cornwall, who Married in Liskeard, Cornwall on 24.12.1889; In the 1901 Willie Kingdon lives with his Mother Eva J. Kingdon in Menheniot in Cornwall in 1901 Census; (I am assuming that his Father was away from home)? In the 1911 Census William Kingdon is aged 14 & living with his Mother Eva Kingdon in Higher Lux Street, Liskeard, Cornwall, & working as a Bakehouse Boy in a Bakery; (I am assuming that his Father was away from home)? (William Kingdon’s Father must have died or abandoned the family, post 1911 & pre 1917, as his Mother remarried in 1917 in Liskeard, Cornwall to Cornelius Hocker, a widower & granite polisher, & lived in Cornwall, I understand that she died on 15.02.1931 in Cornwall); A further search of Royal Marine Records confirms that this should be William John Yendell Kingdon, #1887 who enlisted in the Royal Marine Light Infantry: Portsmouth division – Short Service, on 12^th February 1917; This record gives his Birth Date as 22^nd August 1896 – ADM 159/206 reference; I originally found no Medals Card on record but having searched further, ADM 171/169 records that he was awarded the Victory & British war Medals; (William John Yendall Kingdon’s elder brother Claude Carne Kingdon served in WW1 also, as #178198 in the Machine Gun Corps);

Kingdon, W A: Soldiers Christian Association 1914-1920 WO 372/23; WW1 period;

Notes: This is the Military Auxiliary of the YMCA; This is Winifred Adams Kingdon whose name appears on the Absent Voters List for #21, Yew Tree Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham, Warwickshire for 1918 & again in 1919; Her credentials are indicated as A.I.B.D. which probably stands for Australian Infantry Base Depot which was situated in Rouelles, near Le Havre, France; She is recorded as being an absent voter with a Elizabeth Frances Kingdon of the same address; Winifred Adams Kingdon obviously came from a wealthy family as in the 1911 Census she is aged 36 & living with her Widowed Mother & 3 other spinster sisters, all on ‘Private Means’, at The Croft, St Annes Road, Eastbourne, Sussex; (This family originates from the Cory Kingdon, Holsworthy, Devon line); Winifred Adams Kingdon was born in Spondon, Derbyshire in 1874, she is the daughter of Godfrey Kingdon, a Clergyman b.1838 in Poughill, Cornwall & Frances Adams, b.1833 in Nottingham, 1863 in Radford, Nottinghamshire; In the 1881 Census Winifred A Kingdon is aged 6 & lives with her parents, who were absent on the census date, at the St Mary’s Church Vicarage, Spondon, Derbyshire; In the 1891 Census her Father was the Vicar of Taunton St James in Somerset & Winifred A Kingdon lived with her parents at Salisbury House, Taunton St Mary Magdalene Within, Somerset; In the 1901 Census she is living with her parents at Witherley Rectory in Leicestershire; In 1935 & in 1939 Winifred Adams Kingdon lived with her spinster sisters at #13, Yew Tree Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham, Warwickshire; Winifred Adams Kingdon Died a Spinster Aged 75 on 01.03.1950 at Penlee, Landscore Road, Teignmouth, Devon; There is no MIC Card but this name appears in the UK Medals & Awards Archives for WW1; (She was the Sister of Kingdon, Elizabeth Frances: Soldiers Christian Association 1914 -1920, WO 372/23);

Notes: I have a Medals roll record for the issue of the 1895 India Medal & Clasps dated 16.09.1898 in Kuldanna for the 1^st Battalion, The Prince Albert’s Somerset Light Infantry, for a Private W. J. Kingdon #4420, however, the W has been crossed out but unfortunately the replacement letter is not clear? This Soldier probably enlisted between 18.03.1895 & 09.06.1896 according to his Regimental number of #4420; Prince Albert’s Somerset Light Infantry served in India from 1893 to 1908 & then in England from 1908 to 1914; Awarded the 1885 India Medal & the 1897-1898 Punjab Clasp for service with the Punjab Command; Insufficient information to identify further;

Further Notes: It is possible that this Soldier may very well be John Kingdon, a Private in the 1^st Battalion, Prince Albert’s Somerset Light Infantry, who at the age of 24, (born 1776), Died & was Buried in Murree Gullies on 28.05.1900 in Bengal, (see British Library India Office Ref. N/1/283 f.129);
Kingdon, W L: Army Service Corps No: MS/4249 Rank: Private 1914-1920 WO 372/11, WW1;

Transferred to Kingdom List: Kingdom, William L: Army Service Corps No: MS/4249 Rank: Private 1914-1920 WO372/11, WW1;

Notes: This is William Llewellyn Kingdom born 4^th Q 1892 Oakford/Tiverton; Medals Cards on file; (Brother of Percy Arthur Kingdom b.1899 Tiverton who served in WW1 & Horace Donald Kingdom b.1896 Stoodleigh who Served in WW1 & Died in France on 06.05.1917; All 3 Brothers are recorded & remembered on the Bampton Memorial Roll in Devon);


Kingdon, W. M: #2939, Australian Infantry, Australian Imperial Force; - Died in WW1 on 26.09.1917 CWGC records - Private W M Kingdon #2939, 51st Battalion, 7^th Reinforcement, Australian Infantry, Australian Imperial Force who died on 26^th September 1917; Remembered with honour Oostaverne Wood Cemetery in Belgium;

Notes: There are more records for this soldier in the Australian Military Files; This is #2939 Private William Matthew Kingdom who was the subject of the Australian Red Cross Society Wounded & Missing Enquiry Bureau for the 1914-18 War; There are numerous enquiry correspondences which would indicate that ‘Billy’ Kingdon was wounded in the leg at Polygon Wood in September 1917 & whilst being carried on a stretcher from the front line was killed by a shell & that he was buried where he fell between Polygon Wood & Zonnebeke;

Detailed Military Records have this man as William Matthew Kingdom born 1896 in Carlton, Victoria, Australia; This soldier enlisted on 13.06.1916, aged 21 years & 2 months & joined for duty on 11.07.1916 in Perth, Australia; He gave his next of kin as his Father, Richard Kingdon & Agnes Clara Byrnes of Woodbridge Terrace, Midland Junction, Western Australia, stating that he had served earlier with the Citizen Force, 88^th Infantry Unit at home in Perth as #2087 & that his occupation was a Packer; The unit he was assigned to embarked from Fremantle, Western Australia on board HMAT A8 ‘Argylshire’ on 09.11.1916, arriving in Devonport, Plymouth, England on 10.01.1917, with the 7^th Reinforcements, 51^st Infantry Battalion; William Matthew Kingdom then proceeded to France from Folkestone on 10.04.1917, he was taken on unit strength on 01.05.1917 & was Killed in Action on 26.09.1917; This soldier’s family were awarded a pension of 40 Australian Shillings per fortnight as compensation for the loss of their son; William Matthew Kingdon’s body was exhumed from his battle burial location in 1928 & interred in Oosttaverne Wood Military Cemetery in Belgium; Medals awarded, 1914-15 Star, British War & Victory Medals sent to his Father in 1922; (He was the Brother of Richard Vincent Kingdon, #16357, Australian Army Service Corps);
Kingdon, Wallace David: Lieutenant, Royal Naval Reserve & Sea Cadet Corps; (1960’s);

Notes: The Royal Naval Reserve Lists have reference to Wallace David Kingdon as a Temporary Sub Lieutenant & later a Lieutenant, for Duty with the (SCC) Sea Cadet Corps in 1961, 1962, 1968 & 1970; His Lieutenant seniority is dated from 16.02.1963; There are no other naval records; This is Wallace David Kingdon who was born in Lewisham in 1924, however, he may well have been the illegitmiate son of a girl called Nanktelow, this name is shown in the records, plus there is the same 1924 birth reference in Lewisham for a Wallace David Nanktelow also; Wallace David Kingdon Married Florence Amy Smith in 1946 in Lewisham; They lived at #66, Geraint Road, Lewisham in 1946; They lived at #8, Scarlet Road, Lewisham in 1952 & they lived at #94, Capstone Road, Lewisham in 1963; I did not research further;

Notes: This is Walter Kingdon born in 1852 in West Monkton, Somerset, he is the son of John Kingdon b.1827, a Railway Labourer, in North Petherton, Somerset & Sarah Rice? from Cheriton Fitzpaine who married in 1850 in Taunton; In 1861 Walter Kingdon is aged 9 years & lives with his parents at Heathfield Leach Cottages in West Monkton; I seem to have lost this man until I discovered a Marriage record for Bengal, India in 1881; Subsequently, it would appear that Walter Kingdon joined the Royal Horse Artillery pre 1881 & was posted to India; Walter Kingdon Married Sarah A. Gardiner from Canterbury, Kent in 1881 in Bengal, India, volume 175, folio 138 in the Bengal Marriage Index; His wife may well have been a Widow as her name is recorded as Bull nee Gardiner in the records; Further research of WO 69/72/215 supports this marriage data with a record indicating Walter Kingdon of ‘C’ Brigade, Royal horse Artillery, Married Sarah Ann Bull on 16.02.1881 at Peshawar, Archdeaconry of Lahore, India; In 1891 Census this family were living in the District Grand Depot Barracks in Woolwich Arsenal; This soldier probably had a Chelsea Pension awarded before he died; I believe that Walter Kingdon Died in Lambeth in 1896 Aged 44; His widow then lived in #23, Tenison Street, Lambeth as a Charwoman in 1901 Census; In 1911 She lived with 2 of her sons & a daughter at #27, New Street, Kennington, London & was a Cleaner at the House of Commons (the records indicate that she had had 8 children but only 3 of them were still living at that time although this may well not be totally correct because I believe that she had another son Walter George Kingdon born 1890 in Woolwich who was serving in the Army since 1907); (Sergeant Walter Kingdon was the Father of Kingdon, Walter G: Royal Field Artillery No: 47379 Rank: Sergeant 1914-1920 WO 372/11 See also Kingdom, W G: Royal Field Artillery No: 47379 Rank: Driver 1914-1920 WO 372/11); (Also the Father of #464504 Private Harry Kingdon, ‘C’ Company, Canadian Over-Seas Expeditionary Force, #439435a & 439435b);