The Soldier's Details
- Surname:
- King
- First Name:
- Edric Herbert
- Rank:
- Private
- Regimental #:
- WX8007
- Classification:
- Driver
- Company:
- ‘A’ Company, 4 Platoon
- Enlisted:
- 13.08.1940
- DOB:
- 1.03.1911
- Place of Birth:
- Northam, Western Australia
- Father's Name:
- Albert Thomas King
- Mothers's Name:
- Eleanor Rose 'Helena' King (nee Kennett)
- Religion:
- Church of England
- Pre-war Occupation:
- Labourer
- Memorial:
- Kanchanaburi War Cemetery, Plot 1, Row D, Grave 74, Age 32.
- Singapore:
- Selarang Camp and Barracks Changi
- Force:
- ‘D’ Force Thailand, S Battalion
- Camps Thailand:
- Tarsau, Konyu II,
- POW#:
- 4/6295 & 8799
- Cause of Death:
- Pulmonary Tuberculosis
- Place of Death:
- Tamarkan
- Date of Death:
- 12.11.1943
- Buried:
- Grave AX 9, Tamarkan.
General Description
Edric King was farming at Cadoux prior to enlisting in
August 1940. He became Driver with ‘A’ Company No. 4 Platoon.
He recorded his father Albert Thomas King as his NOK.
His sister Mrs E.P.C. Cameron had been appointed by Edric as Administratrix of his estate.
Selected with ‘D’ Force S Battalion to work on the Burma-Thai Railway he left Singapore by train 14 March 1943. Their first work camp was Tarsau which became Japanese HQ for ‘D’ Force and later their hospital Camp. Work here was comparatively light when they next moved to Konyu II to work on the Hellfire Pass Cutting. Work and Camp conditions were horrific. Men suffered and died with tropical illnesses for which they had no medicines.
It would seem King was evacuated sick from Hellfire Pass area to Tamarkan Hospital Camp where he died on 12 November 1943 aged 32 years.
Below: Kanchanaburi War Cemetery, Thailand. Plot 1, Row D, Grave 7
Above: Albert King and family residing at Trayning.
Below: The following is extracted from the news item below – discussing the possible construction of railway line
Above: Eldest son Thomas Ingram King b. 1903 died 1913, he was 10 years old.
Ted was born Northam 1 March 1911 to Eleanor and Albert King who had married 1902 Brentford, England. His older siblings were born in England. He had two brothers, the eldest being Thomas (who died Western Australia 1913), Jack (John Albert b. 1905) m Eileen Ada McCashney and sisters Kathleen Rose b.1904 m. William Alfred Woodbridge and Christian Enswith Prudance King b. 1910 Kodj Kodjin (WA) m.1932 Jack Cameron.
His mother died in 1916. The King children were quite young in age.
Ted’s father Tom King died at Victoria Park 11 April 1958 aged 79 years.
Below: Eleanor King looking after herself!
Below: Kodj Kodjin had a hall. Alfred King is considered as one of the oldest settlers in the district.
Below: 1933 Talk of Railway coming to their area.
Camp Locations:
- Selarang Barracks Changi - Singapore
- Selarang Camp Changi - Singapore
- Kanu II, 152.30k - Thailand
- Tamarkan, Tha Makham 56k - Thailand
- Tarsau, Tha Sao 125k - Thailand
