J to m kingdon – campaign medals & military service

Notes: Medals Card has him as John Kingdon, #49756 RFA as a Bombardier & who served in France from 19.01.1915; He was promoted to Sergeant & I believe was awarded the Military Medal; This is (John) Jack Kingdon born in late 1891 in Barnstaple, Devon, he was the Son of John E. Kingdon (b.1855), of Barnstaple, England, a Fisherman, Shipbuilder & Bargeman & Elizabeth ??, also from Barnstaple; (She may have been previously married as there is a Stepdaughter recorded living with the family in the 1891 Census called Elizabeth Jane Limebear, b.1875 Barnstaple, who marries Richard Johns in 1899 in Barnstaple & emigrates to Manitoba, Canada in 1906); In 1901 Jack Kingdon was aged 10 & living with his Parents at #10, Signal Terrace, Barnstaple, Devon, his Father is a Shipwright & Bargeman; Further research indicates that John Kingdom aged 21 (born 1890 in Barnstaple) was serving as a Private in the 75^th Battery, Royal Field Artillery in India in 1911 Census, & I believe this to be the same person; Unfortunately I have yet to find any record of this soldier’s enlistment date to confirm this This soldier first served in France from 19.01.1915; Medals Card on file for the award of the 15 Star, Victory & the British War Medals; I believe that he may have been awarded the Military Medal for Bravery in the Field as well, recorded in the London Gazette Supplement dated 02.08.1918 on page 9243; (49756 Sjt. J. Kingdon, R.F.A. (High Wycombe); (He was the younger Brother of #174744 Sergeant George Kingdon of the Royal Garrison Artillery); (He was also the Brother of Kingdon, Bruce: #622376, Private, Canadian Infantry (New Brunswick Regiment) who died in WW1); (He was also the Brother of Sydney John Kingdon, WW1 Merchant Seaman);

Notes: There are WW2 records for a Major J L Kingdon of the Indian Army being Gazetted on page 812 of the London Gazette Supplement dated 11.02.1941 for being Mentioned in Despatches in recognition of gallant & distinguished services in Somaliland; The 8^th Battalion of the Punjab Regiment was raised in 1941, generally serving in India & Burma; I have no other information; Awarded the 1939-45 War Medal & the 1939-45 Star; Insufficient information to identify;

Notes: There are WW2 records for a Captain (Temporary Major), J R Kingdon of the Royal Army Medical Corps being Gazetted on page 423 of the London Gazette dated 23.09.1943 for being Mentioned in Despatches in recognition of gallant & distinguished services in North Africa; I have no other information; Awarded the 1939-45 War Medal & the 1939-45 Star; Insufficient information to identify;

Notes: This is Jack Kingdon born 02.10.1883 in the West Indies, in St. Vincent, the son of Alfred Kingdon, a Barrister at Law, b.1853 in Kensington, London & Bessie Bruce Aitken from Glasgow, Scotland who married in 1879 in Leeds; (They are from the Thorverton Branch of the Kingdon family); (His Father Alfred Kingdon was a Barrister: Inner Temple 1878: Acting Attorney General in St Vincent in 1883; Solicitor General in British Guiana & Q.C. in that Colony in 1890; Senior Puisne Judge, British Guiana 1898/1900); In 1901 Census Jack Kingdon is a Boarding Scholar at the Agricultural School, at Winchester College, in Kingsgate Street, Winchester, Southampton; I believe that he later went to Oxford University in mid 1901, I believe that his parents lived in Sussex having returned from overseas; Jack Kingdon was first commissioned as a 2^nd Lieutenant on 09.05.1904 & then recorded again on 29.11.1905 in the Militia 4^th Battalion, Devonshires & later with the 1^st Battalion, Devon Regiment & then on 13.01.1906 as a British Officer of the Indian Army; He appears to have served in dual roles – Lieutenant J Kingdon (Indian Army) & Company Officer in Barbera, Somaliland with the Indian Contingent of the 6^th Battalion, King’s African Rifles; Also with the Indian Army 86^th Light Infantry, the 86^th Carnatic Infantry at their HQ at St Thomas’ Mount; (Jack Kingdon was still a Lieutenant in 1912 & by now can speak Hindustani); He served as a Lieutenant from 29.02.1908 & as a Captain in the Indian Army in the 92^nd Punjabis Regiment; (His parents lived in Chagford, Devon in the 1911 Census); His promotion to Captain was 29.11.1914 whilst serving with the 86^th Carnatic Infantry, Indian Army; There is a Ship’s Passenger Record for a Captain J. Kingdon sailing from England to Bombay on 02.10.1915 on board the ‘Malwa’; At some stage later in his Army career he was Brigade Major G.S.O, 2^nd Grade from 20.09.1918, which was later relinquished on 31.08.1919 whilst serving with the 86^th Carnatic Infantry, Indian Army; This Officer was also awarded for distinguished service in connection with Military Operations in the Balkans & with the British Army of the Black Sea & promoted to Brevet Major on 03.06.1919; The London Gazette dated 17.05.1921 records the promotion of (Battalion Major) J. Kingdon, Indian Army to Major on 29.11.1920; The London Gazette dated 20.02.1925 records that The King had approved the resignation of this Officer’s commission on 01.01.1925; I don’t believe that he married & understand that Major Jack Kingdon died in Kenya of a heart attack on 15.10.1952; Medals Card for Captain Jack Kingdon on file; No Medals Card on file for Captain J. Kingdon; He also received the Somaliland Medal & Clasp which was awarded by the Somaliland Camel Corps HQ on 09.12.1916 & sent to India for issue;

Notes: In the 1861 Census there is a record for a Gunner James Kingdon born 1839 in Barnstaple, serving in Christchurch Barracks, Hampshire with the 9^th Field Battery, Royal Artillery; Unfortunately there is insufficient information to enable positive identification of this soldier, there is however, a James Kingdom born in Barnstaple in 1839; Needs more research;

Notes: In the records of the Soldiers of Oxford Museum there is mention of a James Kingdon having served with the 52^nd (Oxfordshire) Regiment of Foot; There are no dates mentioned & no other information available; Insufficient information to identify;

Notes: Also served as #WR289539 indicating that he served with a Waterways & Railway Unit; This Soldier served in Egypt from 30.12.1915; Initially there was no certain identification but 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; Medals Card on file for the award of the 15 Star, the Victory & British War Medals; (He could also be the Brother of one of the Ernest Kingdons who served in WW1 – See comments on Ernest ‘choices’ in this paper);