Bernard Gale King was born in the spring of 1881, the seventh of eleven children to Charles and Charity King. Charles was a bookseller from Huntingdonshire, but he and Charity had moved to Wolborough, Devon by the time Bernard was born.

The 1901 census found that the family had moved again and Charles had set up shop in the Tormoham area of Torquay. By this point Bernard and his older sister, Florrie, were helping their father with the business, which was located at 99 Union Street .

On 5th March 1904, Bernard married Lilian Potter at the Wesleyan Chapel in Brixham. Sadly, there is little information available for her, but she was a year older than her husband, and had been born in Exeter. The couple set up home on Rock Road, Torquay, and had three children: Frederick, William and Gladys.

By the time of the 1911 census, Bernard had moved away from selling books, and had become a photographer. Storm clouds were brewing over Europe, however, and things were to change.

When war broke out, Bernard stepped up to play his part. He enlisted on 11th December 1915, and joined the Devonshire Regiment. His service records show that the family had moved along the coast, and were living at 22 Winner Street in Paignton.

Private King was notes as being 5ft 7ins (1.7m) tall and weighing 119lbs (54kg). He had dark brown hair, blue eyes and a pale complexion. Initially assigned to the 4th Battalion, by October 1916, he had transferred to a home service unit, and remained on home soil during his time in the army.

In the spring of 1917, Bernard contracted tuberculosis. The contagious nature of the illness meant that he was deemed no longer fit for any service, and he was medically discharged on 7th April 1917.

At this point Bernard’s trail goes cold. He seemed to have returned home, but would ultimately succumb to the lung condition he had contracted in the army. He passed away on 21st October 1918: he was 37 years of age.

Bernard Gale King was laid to rest in Paignton Cemetery, overlooking the town in which his grieving family still lived.

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