Thomas Joseph King (army officer)
Thomas Joseph King CBE | |
---|---|
Born |
Milton, New Zealand | 19 April 1891
Died |
28 December 1971 80) Wellington, New Zealand | (aged
Buried at | Karori Cemetery, Wellington, New Zealand |
Allegiance | New Zealand |
Service/branch | New Zealand Army |
Rank | Brigadier |
Service number |
WWI 15/56 WWII 6192 |
Unit | New Zealand Army Ordnance Corps |
Thomas Joseph King CBE (19 April 1891– 28 December 1971) was a New Zealand Army Officer and a foundation member of the New Zealand Army Ordnance Corps who served in both the New Zealand and British Army's in both world Wars.
Early life
Brigadier King was born at Milton on the 19th of April 1891. He started work in 1909 with the Treasury Department and later transferred to the Marine Department.[1]
Military career
1909-1914
Before World War I King served with the New Zealand Volunteer Forces(Civil Service Rifles) for two years and in the Territorial Force with the (Wellington) Regiment for three years.[1]
1914-1916
On the outbreak of the 1st World War King enlisted into the New Zealand Headquarters as a Private. King embarked with the main body, departing Wellington on 3 December 1914 on the troopship TSS Mauganui. On arrival in Egypt, King as promoted to Sergeant and on 3 April 1915 was Promoted into the NZAOC NZEF as a 2nd Lieutenant,[2]
King saw service in the Dardanelles as the Deputy Assistant Director of Ordnance Services(DADOS) for the New Zealand and Australian Division and was promoted to Lieutenant on 6 Oct 1915.[3][1] Struck down with illness King was invalided back to New Zealand in May 1916.
1916-1940
Returning to New Zealand King was employed with the Defence Stores in a “temporary” capacity prior to being appointed permanently to the New Zealand Army Ordnance Department(NZAOD) on the 1st April 1917. During this time King completed examinations in accountancy and also qualified by examination as a solicitor.[1]
In 1924 the NZAOD was merged with the New Zealand Army Ordnance Corps and King was appointed Director of Ordnance Services (DOS) of the NZAOC, a position he would hold until 1940.[1]
1940-1945
When World War II started King was seconded to the 2NZEF, [[New Zealand Army Ordnance Corps|New Zealand Ordnance Corps (NZOC) from the NZAOC as a Lieutenant Colonel and appointed ass the DADOS HQ 2nd New Zealand Division and sailed with the first echelon.[4][1][5]
Arriving in England in early June 1940, King proceeded to inspect the proposed locations of the New Zealand camps and Liaising with the RAOC the necessary arrangements to equip the New Zealand Division, arrangements which were hampered by a sever shortage of equipment caused by the British Expeditionary Forceswithdraw from France and the impeding German invasion of the United Kingdom. The events of the war cause the NZEF in the UK to be sent to the Middle east in 1941 with all their equipment and on 1 January 1942 King was appointed Deputy Director Ordnance Service (DDOS)HQ NZ Div.[4][1]
Briefly attached to the 8th Army from 2 June 1942 King was Promoted to Colonel on 1 August 1941 and formally relinquished his position of DDOS HQ NZ Div on 18 July 1942 and became the DDOS LofC 8th Army, responsible for the supervision of all Ordnance and Ammunition depots in Egypt and the control of ordnance shipping into and out of the Middle East. On 18 August 1942 was posted to the 9th Army as DDOS.[4][1]
On the liberation of Greece by the 9th Army in 1944, king as DDOS was responsible for the military supply organisation and for the relief of the population of Greece.[1] King was aware of the hardships faced by the Greek people as a result of assisting hundred of New Zealand soldiers during the earlier Greek campaign, and convinced the NZ Govt to provide a shipload of foodstuffs directly to Greece from New Zealand for use in children's homes and hospitals and other institutions a gesture that was greatly appreciated by the Greeks.[6]
Returning on leave to New Zealand in May 1945 King was one of the New Zealand Army Brigadiers suggested as a replacement for General E. Puttick who had reached retiring age.[7] In August 1945 King was then seconded as the disposed persons administrator to the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration (UNRRA) as part of the part of the post war reconstruction of Europe effort in returning refugees to their homes either in Austria or in Germany.[8]
Post war
King retired form the Military on his returned from Germany in 1947.[1] Already well known in New Zealand sports circles, King took and active part in Rugby football administration—as a member of both the Wellington and the New Zealand Rugby Unions.[9] King remained his connection with he NZAOC and RNZAOC by remaining in the post of Colonel commandant until the 31st of march 1961, a position he has held since 1 Jan 1941.[1]
Honours and awards
- Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire
- 1914-1915 Star
- British War Medal (1914-1920)
- Victory Medal with oak leaf
- Africa Star
See also
- New Zealand Defence Stores Department
- New Zealand Army Ordnance Department
- New Zealand Army Ordnance Corps
- Royal New Zealand Army Ordnance Corps
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Bolton, Major J.S (1992). A History of the Royal New Zealand Army Ordnance Corps. RNZAOC. ISBN 0477015816.
- ↑ "NEW ZEALAND ARMY,Evening Post, Volume XC, Issue 6, 7 July 1915". Retrieved 12 Nov 2016.
- ↑ "N.Z. AND A. DIVISIONAL ARTILLERY,Evening Post, Volume XCI, Issue 14, 18 January 1916". Retrieved 12 Nov 2016.
- 1 2 3 "Military personnel files for KING, Thomas Joseph - WWI 15/56 - WWII 6192 - Army; Record no: 0447057; R no: R24264710; Series: 18805;". digitalnz.org. Retrieved 11 Nov 2016.
- ↑ "MORE OFFICERS.,Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 293, 12 December 1939". Retrieved 12 Nov 2016.
- ↑ "INCIDENT OVER RUHR,New Zealand Herald, Volume 82, Issue 25147, 9 March 1945". Retrieved 12 Nov 2016.
- ↑ "New Army Chief Among These Men?,Auckland Star, Volume LXXVI, Issue 180, 1 August 1945". Retrieved 12 Nov 2016.
- ↑ "FOR UNRRA DUTY,Evening Post, Volume CXL, Issue 62, 11 September 1945". Retrieved 12 Nov 2016.
- ↑ "FOR UNRRA DUTY,Evening Post, Volume CXL, Issue 62, 11 September 1945". Retrieved 12 Nov 2016.