King, Desmond Robert (Desmond)

Second Lieutenant

Royal Indian Army Service Corps

Died in service on Tuesday 5 May 1942 (aged 29)

Buried:

Karachi War Cemetery, Pakistan (Grave 4. D. 13)

Commemorated:

Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Bangor and District War Memorial

Wesley Centenary Methodist Church, Bangor

BIOGRAPHY

At Civil Registration, his name was recorded as Robert Desmond King.

Desmond Robert King was born on 20 April 1913 at 20 Ratcliffe Street, Belfast and he was a son of Robert and Florence King (nee Aird) who were married on 19 February 1913 in Great Victoria Street Presbyterian Church, Belfast.  Robert King, a grocer from Moy, Co Tyrone, was a son of James King, deceased.  Florence Aird from Belfast was a daughter of Archibald Aird, retired.

The King family had an address at 20 Ratcliffe Street and later at Kinross, Sligo Road, Enniskillen, Co. Fermanagh.

Robert and Florence King (nee Aird) had at least two children:

Desmond Robert (born 20 April 1913 at 20 Ratcliffe Street, Belfast)

Leslie (born 7 September 1919 in Enniskillen)

During the Second World War Second Lieutenant Desmond Robert King served with the Royal Indian Army Service Corps (RIASC) in Abbottabad, Pakistan and he died on 5 May 1942 in the British Military Hospital, Abbottabad.  His effects amounted to some £209 and probate was granted to his father.

Second Lieutenant Desmond Robert King was buried in Karachi War Cemetery, Pakistan and there is an inscription on his CWGC headstone:

AGE SHALL NOT WEARY THEM,

NOR THE YEARS CONDEMN

Second Lieutenant Desmond Robert King is commemorated on Bangor and District War Memorial and in Wesley Centenary Methodist Church, Bangor.  Church records relating to this casualty were requested but none were available.