On the day of his death, Joseph King climbed out of the trenches where he and his mates had watched the bombardment of the enemy line and followed the first waves as they crossed no-man's-land. He was in "B" Company of the 1st Battalion, NZ Rifle Brigade.
The 1st Battalion, detailed for the task of securing the final objective, consisting roughly of Grove Alley, moved forward immediately behind the 2nd and 3rd. The advance was made on a two-company frontage. "A" Company (Capt. L. M. Inglis) on the right and "B" (Capt. B. R. Lankshear) on the left, leading, with "C" (Capt. P. A. Elder) and "D" (Capt. H. C. Meikle) following in support. Part of "D" Company had been detailed as battalion reserve. Approaching the Blue Line the battalion began to suffer heavy casualties from machine-gun fire coming from the left. Lance-Corporal F. N. Fletcher, with a bombing-party of six men from one of the rear companies, swung out beyond the left flank, located the enemy machine-gun, and attacking it from flank and rear succeeded in bombing out the crew and destroying the gun, thus removing a serious obstacle to the advance. -Official History, NZ Rifle Brigade.
Joseph survived the machine gun to reach the Battalion's objective, as indicated by the eyewitness statement below. But the Germans had left a surprise behind them.
Rifleman Joseph King (Joe), missing, believed to be killed, is the second son of the late James King, of 50 Franklin street, Gladstone, North-east Valley. He was born in Dunedin. and he was about 36 years of age. He received his education at the Union Street School. He followed the occupation of a miner and tunneller, and his last big job was on the Waipori tunnel, which he saw completed. He volunteered for the main body, but was told to stand down till wanted. He waited for three or four months, but as he was not called up he left Dunedin for the south, and volunteered at Invercargill. He was accepted, and left New Zealand with Lord Liverpool's Own, 1st Battalion, and was in the engagement with the Senussi Arabs. He came through scatheless, and left Egypt for France with the main body, and was there till the 15th September. He was well liked and respected by all who came in contact with mm. He was employed some years by Messrs Powley and Keast, and also Messrs R. Hudson and Co. He played during one season with Speight's Rugby team. -Evening Star, 30/10/1916.
Joe King's death was made official as the verdict of a Court of enquiry held in February, 1917. His Company Sergeant Major, G H Boles, who found himself in command of "B" Company, 1st Battalion, in the early afternoon of the 15th presented the following evidence to the Court: "Between 2pm and 3pm on September 15 I saw the body of Rifleman King lying in Flers Support Trench. His legs were partly buried. He was lying on his back. His visible wounds were in his head and were caused by someone kicking a trip wire which set off a small mine. I am certain he was dead."
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