James King was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Albert King of Blackburn, Lancashire. He came to Canada as a young man and was residing in Reno, Alberta where he was employed as a carpenter at Midland Grain Elevators in Calgary, Alberta when he enlisted in to the Royal Canadian Engineers in July 1940. He had also entered an apprenticeship in welding. He was assigned to the 10th Field Squadron. He had previously served for three years in the 1st Canadian Motor Machine Gun Brigade based in Quebec City.
James was first sent to the Lethbridge camp where he passed the Carpenter – Joiner Group ‘B’ Trades Test. At the end of August, he arrived in Petawawa with the Squadron and continued individual and unit training. After a short stay in the camp hospital, he was sent to Camp Borden and attached to the Camp Engineer in May 1941. The Squadron sailed for England in December 1941 and he was able to visit his parents who were still living in England.
During the night of 4/5 September, the 10th Field Squadron was supporting the advance of 5th Armoured Division units crossing the Conca River in the area of the Besanigo Ridge, just east of Coriano. According to the personal diary of Lt. Douglas Graham. MC, the 10th Field Squadron suffered ‘4 killed and 7 wounded’. Sapper King was among the wounded and he died of his wounds later that day, just short of his 33rd birthday. He is buried in the Commonwealth War Cemetery in Montecchio, Italy.
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