1066193 Pte. Roy King was born on March 29th, 1901, in Owen Sound to Neil and Isabela King. At the time of his enlistment he claimed to be working as a moulder while living at the King George Hotel.
Roy attested into 248th Battalion C.E.F. on February 14th, 1917, claiming, as having been born in 1898, to be 19 years of age when indeed he was just coming up to his 16th birthday. Recruiters took him at his word and he sailed with the unit in early June of that year. Upon arrival in England the battalion was absorbed into the 8th Reserve Battalion. This reserve battalion's mandate was to supply reinforcements to the 58th Battalion and the 4th C.M.R.
Private King was taken on strength of the 4th C.M.R. on November 9nd, 1917, in a reinforcement draft after the Battle of Passchendaele. Having arrived at the front it didn't take long before his true age came to light and he was returned to England by the end of the month for being under age.
Posted to the Young Boys Battalion, he soldiered on until he was returned to Canada aboard the Grampian to be discharged.
1066193 Private Roy King was struck off strength of the Canadian Expeditionary Force on April 5th, 1918. Roy latterly passed away on April 22nd, 1965, in the veteran's wing of Toronto's Sunnybrook Hospital.
Biography credit: George Auer, with thanks.