Philip Wilfred Sidney King

Captain (retired) Philip Wilfred Sidney King (19 March, 1884 – 8 December, 1956) was an officer in the Royal Navy.

Life & Career

King was appointed in command of the 125 Footer Class first-class torpedo boat T.B. 67 as a Sub-lieutenant on 6 February, 1906. He was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 30 June, 1906 while in this appointment, but was superseded in her with Their Lordships' displeasure noted when he was found away without leave, on 19 October, 1906. King was sent to join the battleship Irresistible in the Mediterranean, staying with her for two years.

In December, 1910, King was appointed to the destroyer Tartar as first lieutenant. In March, 1911, King was charged some three pounds Sterling for the cost of a diving effort to recover an anchor, shackle and chain which he'd lost overboard from the ship due to "want of attention." King left Tartar when he was appointed as Lieutenant & Commander of the first-class torpedo boat T.B. 29 on 21 November, 1912.

King was appointed in command of the destroyer Flying Fish on 3 February, 1914. This command would be briefly interspersed with command of Lurcher for three weeks in mid-1914, and he was appointed in command of the destroyer Flying Fish on 19 May.

Great War

Having been promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Commander on 30 June, 1914, King applied for command of a monitor but remained in Flying Fish until being appointed to the new Laforey Class destroyer Liberty, to take command upon her commissioning, on 24 October, 1915.

On 4 March, 1916, King applied unsuccessfully for command of an airship. This, however, meant that he was still in command of the destroyer Liberty when she fought at at the Battle of Jutland as one of six Harwich Force destroyers screening the Second Battle Cruiser Squadron.

On 8 February 1917, while in command of Liberty as part of the Ninth Destroyer Flotilla, King rammed and sank UC 46 southeast of Goodwin Sands. This feat impressed the Admiralty and earned King a D.S.O., with which he was invested by the King on 28 March, 1917.

On 30 April, 1917, King was appointed in command of the destroyer Undine.

Interbellum

King was promoted to the rank of Commander on 30 June, 1919.

King was placed on the Retired List at his own request with the rank of Captain on 17 July, 1930.

World War II

King acted as D.S.T.O. (District Sea Transport Officer?) at Falmouth from September, 1939 and then briefly Southampton and in a French port prior to the fall of France. He was appointed to Caroline, additional, as D.S.T.O., Belfast on 27 June, 1940. He was mentioned in despatches for his good services over an unspecified period.

King died of bronchial and cardiac failure two days after his admission to Chatham hospital in December 1956.

See Also

• Service Records
• Harwich Force at the Battle of Jutland
• Wikipedia

Naval Appointments
Preceded by Archibald S. May	Captain of H.M. T.B. 67 6 Feb, 1906 – 19 Oct, 1906	Succeeded by John A. Lees
Preceded by John O. Barron	Captain of H.M. T.B. 29 21 Nov, 1912 – 7 Apr, 1913	Succeeded by Philip W. S. King
Preceded by Richard F. White	Captain of H.M. T.B. 3 7 Apr, 1913 – 13 Aug, 1913	Succeeded by Charles L. Fox
Preceded by Richard F. White	Captain of H.M.S. Lurcher 24 Apr, 1913 – 19 May, 1914	Succeeded by Harold G. Campbell
Preceded by Philip W. S. King	Captain of H.M. T.B. 29 13 Aug, 1913 – Feb, 1914	Succeeded by Geoffrey B. Smith
Preceded by Lawrence D'O. Bignell	Captain of H.M.S. Flying Fish 3 Feb, 1914 – 6 Apr, 1914	Succeeded by Philip W. S. King
Preceded by Philip W. S. King	Captain of H.M.S. Flying Fish 19 May, 1914 – 24 Oct, 1915	Succeeded by John H. Jauncey
Preceded by William J. F. Dunlop	Captain of H.M.S. Liberty 24 Oct, 1915 – late Apr, 1917	Succeeded by Colin S. Thomson
Preceded by New Command	Captain of H.M.S. Undine 30 Apr, 1917 – 2 Aug, 1919	Succeeded by George E. L. Atwood
Preceded by Archibald E. Johnston	Captain of H.M.S. Wistaria 1 Sep, 1924 – 1926	Succeeded by ?
Preceded by Francis W. D. Twigg	Captain of H.M.S. Godetia 31 May, 1927 – 14 May, 1929	Succeeded by William R. Richardson