W.O., Gunner HMS Bulwark, Royal Navy
Died 26th November 1914, aged 38
Remembered Portsmouth Naval Memorial
& on both Blakeney War Memorials
William was born 6th February 1876 in Fulham, Middlesex, the eldest son of William Edward and Clara King nee Locke. His father was an ex navy man who, during his married life, was a Coastguard stationed first at Morston, then Burnham Overy, Cley, Thornham, all in Norfolk, then Wainfleet St Mary (Lincolnshire) followed by Morston again. William’s 9 siblings were born at these various stations. Three of his brothers, Frederick William (born Morston 1876), George Alfred (born Cley 1885) and Herbert Victor (born Thornham 1889) served in WW1. George was a casualty whilst Frederick and Herbert were survivors. Indeed Herbert was called back to serve in WW2. William senior retired from the Coastguards to become landlord of the King’s Arms, Blakeney. He died at Greencroft, 1937.
William junior joined the Royal Navy, aged 15, serving first on HMS Impregnable. By 1911 he was a gunner instructor serving on HMS Tamar, stationed in Hong Kong, China. Prior to this he had married Sarah Stacey in Portsea and was the father of two boys, both born there in 1913 and 1915 respectively. All told, he served and/or trained on 14 different vessels becoming a Warrant Officer 1st January 1908. He then had four more postings before transferring to HMS Bulwark, 11th November 1913 and was still with her the following year when war was declared. His last known address ashore was 25a Kingston Crescent, Portsmouth.
HMS Bulwark was attached to the Channel Fleet, conducting patrols in the English Channel. On 26th November while stationed near Sheerness, just off the north coast of Kent, where she was loading ammunition, HMS Bulwark was accidentally destroyed by an internal explosion with the loss of 736 men, including William King. His body was never recovered. There were initially sixteen survivors (7 died) and at the inquiry that followed, sabotage was ruled out. It was concluded that the tragedy was caused by the overheating of cordite charges stored next to a boiler room bulkhead.
The loss of HMS Bulwark was reported by the Norfolk Chronicle, 4th December 1914, as follows; “The terrible explosion of HMS Bulwark claims a local victim in the person of William E. King, son of Mr and Mrs King of the King’s Arms. The deceased officer was one of the four brothers who joined the Navy and have all done well in their father’s profession. Mr King was for many years connected with the Coastguard service at Cley and Morston, and is much respected. The sympathy of the district goes out to the stricken parents. The pathos is rendered acute by the fact that Mr King had that morning received a letter from his son asking him in the event of disaster befalling him to look after his wife and small family.’