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Frank King (British Army officer)
Encyclopedia
General
Sir Frank Douglas King GCB
MBE
(9 March 1919 – 30 March 1998) was a British Army
officer who was General Officer Commanding
(GOC) of the British Army in Northern Ireland
at the height of the Troubles
. He held a number of other senior posts in the British Army, having begun his military career in the ranks
during the Second World War.
, which was then in Berkshire
, where his parents, Arthur and Kate King, were farmers. He was educated at Wallingford Grammar School
, and but for the outbreak of the Second World War would have carried on the family farm. Initially in the ranks of a Territorial Army unit, he was commissioned into the Royal Welch Fusiliers
as a second lieutenant
on 4 July 1940. Now a war substantive lieutenant
, he briefly transferred to the Royal Fusiliers from 14 June 1941, and then to the Reconnaissance Corps
on 15 July, and finally to the Parachute Regiment on 19 October 1943. He participated in Operation Market Garden
, and was wounded and taken prisoner of war
at Arnhem
.
Technical Staff course in 1946; he was then granted a regular commission as a lieutenant in the Wiltshire Regiment
on 22 February 1947 (with seniority from 7 November 1941), and he was subsequently promoted to captain from the same date (with seniority from 1 July 1946). 1947 also saw his marriage to Joy Emily Ellen Taylor-Lane. In 1950 he passed the General Staff course at Staff College, Camberley
, he also qualified as pilot
, He was promoted major on 7 May 1953 (with seniority from 9 March 1953). For two years prior to this he had served as a General Staff Officer Grade II in the Infantry Directorate at the War Office
, working on standardisation of infantry weapons with his Belgian, Canadian and American couterparts, this work led to his appointment as a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 1953 Coronation Honours
. He transferred back to the Parachute Regiment on 31 May 1958, serving as second-in-command
of the 1st battalion
. After a brief spell as Assistant Military Secretary
at the War Office, he was promoted to lieutenant-colonel on 1 April 1960, and became commanding officer
of 2nd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment
, based in Cyprus
and Bahrain
, and also during its participation in the British intervention in Kuwait.
King was promoted colonel on 10 December 1962, and then commanded the 11th Infantry Brigade group, based at Minden
in Germany
, from 1963–65. He became Military Adviser (Overseas Equipment) in the Ministry of Defence
in 1965, and was promoted brigadier
on 17 December 1965, continuing in the same role for the rest of 1966. On 1 January 1967 he was promoted Major-General
and appointed Director, Land/Air Warfare, and Commandant of the Army Air Corps. On 5 August 1968 he became Director, Military Assistance Overseas, back at the Ministry of Defence, stepping down on 15 May 1969. He was then appointed Commandant of the Royal Military College of Science on 10 July 1969, and in the 1971 New Year Honours
was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB), he relinquished the post on 1 October 1971. It was widely expected that given his technical background he would become Master-General of the Ordnance
; but his command experience was equally strong and as a result, on promotion to lieutenant-general on 1 November 1971 (with seniority from 2 February 1971), he was appointed General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Army Strategic Command, and in the 1972 New Year Honours was promoted to Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB). The home commands were abolished in 1972, and so on 1 April King became Deputy Commander-in-Chief UK Land Forces
, subordinate to General Sir Basil Eugster
, the Commander-in-Chief, he stepped down on 15 January 1973.
as GOC Northern Ireland and Director of Operations. This was the worst period of the Troubles, nearly 12,000 bombing and shooting incidents had occurred the year before King's appointment, but by the end of his period in command, the figure was down to just under 2,500 a year. His obituary in The Times
states that he "was regarded by many as the best and most successful Director of Operations in Northern Ireland in the 1970s and 1980s", though it also notes that he himself would be happy to attribute much of the preparatory work to Tuzo (who has been described in similar terms). His success was attributable to a number of factors: he regularly visited the troops on the ground which gave him a good picture of the difficulties faced in particular areas; once a unit or commander had proved itself, he was happy to delegate considerable authority, in particular to his immediate subordinate, Commander Land Forces (Sir) Peter Leng
; he had a good relationship with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
, Merlyn Rees, who said of King "You have never played at politics and I have never played at being a soldier; that's why we have got on so well." He was replaced in the post by Lieutenant-General Sir David House
on 1 August 1975. King was promoted to Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath (GCB) in the 1976 New Year Honours.
and Commander-in-Chief British Army of the Rhine
, again succeeding Tuzo. He was promoted to substantive general on 16 March 1976 (with seniority from 1 September 1975). He delivered the Kermit Roosevelt
lectures in the United States' staff colleges in 1977, and relinquished his appointment on 30 September 1978, and retired from the army on 27 December 1978.
In addition to his command roles, King held the largely honorary appointments of colonel commandant
of the Army Air Corps from 1 November 1974 to 1 January 1980, and of Aide de Camp General to the Queen from 1977 to his retirement.
Following his retirement from the army, he served as a director and company chairman for a variety of firms, was chairman of the Arnhem Veterans' Association, and kept in close contact with the Parachute Regiment. He died on 30 March 1998, and was honoured with a memorial service at the Royal Garrison Church, Aldershot Garrison
on 8 June 1998.
General (United Kingdom)
General is currently the highest peace-time rank in the British Army and Royal Marines. It is subordinate to the Army rank of Field Marshal, has a NATO-code of OF-9, and is a four-star rank....
Sir Frank Douglas King GCB
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
MBE
MBE
MBE can stand for:* Mail Boxes Etc.* Management by exception* Master of Bioethics* Master of Bioscience Enterprise* Master of Business Engineering* Master of Business Economics* Mean Biased Error...
(9 March 1919 – 30 March 1998) was a British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
officer who was General Officer Commanding
General Officer Commanding
General Officer Commanding is the usual title given in the armies of Commonwealth nations to a general officer who holds a command appointment. Thus, a general might be the GOC II Corps or GOC 7th Armoured Division...
(GOC) of the British Army in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
at the height of the Troubles
The Troubles
The Troubles was a period of ethno-political conflict in Northern Ireland which spilled over at various times into England, the Republic of Ireland, and mainland Europe. The duration of the Troubles is conventionally dated from the late 1960s and considered by many to have ended with the Belfast...
. He held a number of other senior posts in the British Army, having begun his military career in the ranks
Other Ranks
Other Ranks in the British Army, Royal Marines and Royal Air Force are those personnel who are not commissioned officers. In the Royal Navy, these personnel are called ratings...
during the Second World War.
Early life and Second World War
King was born on 9 March 1919 in BrightwellBrightwell-cum-Sotwell
Brightwell-cum-Sotwell is a twin-village and civil parish in the Upper Thames Valley in South Oxfordshire. It lies between Didcot to the west and the historic market town of Wallingford to the east...
, which was then in Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
, where his parents, Arthur and Kate King, were farmers. He was educated at Wallingford Grammar School
Wallingford Grammar School
Wallingford Grammr School was a grammar school in the town of Wallingford, Oxfordshire , England, succeeded by Wallingford School when comprehensive education was introduced in 1973.-History:...
, and but for the outbreak of the Second World War would have carried on the family farm. Initially in the ranks of a Territorial Army unit, he was commissioned into the Royal Welch Fusiliers
Royal Welch Fusiliers
The Royal Welch Fusiliers was an infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Prince of Wales' Division. It was founded in 1689 to oppose James II and the imminent war with France...
as a second lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :The rank second lieutenant was introduced throughout the British Army in 1871 to replace the rank of ensign , although it had long been used in the Royal Artillery, Royal...
on 4 July 1940. Now a war substantive lieutenant
First Lieutenant
First lieutenant is a military rank and, in some forces, an appointment.The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations , but the majority of cases it is common for it to be sub-divided into a senior and junior rank...
, he briefly transferred to the Royal Fusiliers from 14 June 1941, and then to the Reconnaissance Corps
Reconnaissance Corps
The Reconnaissance Corps or simply Recce Corps was a short-lived elite corps of the British Army whose units provided the mobile spearhead of infantry divisions from the Far East to Europe during the Second World War. It was formed from Infantry Brigade Reconnaissance Groups on 14 January 1941...
on 15 July, and finally to the Parachute Regiment on 19 October 1943. He participated in Operation Market Garden
Operation Market Garden
Operation Market Garden was an unsuccessful Allied military operation, fought in the Netherlands and Germany in the Second World War. It was the largest airborne operation up to that time....
, and was wounded and taken prisoner of war
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
at Arnhem
Arnhem
Arnhem is a city and municipality, situated in the eastern part of the Netherlands. It is the capital of the province of Gelderland and located near the river Nederrijn as well as near the St. Jansbeek, which was the source of the city's development. Arnhem has 146,095 residents as one of the...
.
Post-war
King was selected for staff training, and was one of the first students to pass through the Royal Military College of Science, ShrivenhamShrivenham
Shrivenham is a large village and civil parish in Oxfordshire, England, close to the boundary with Wiltshire. It is in the Vale of White Horse, between Swindon and Faringdon. It was part of Berkshire until the 1974 boundary changes transferred it to Oxfordshire.-Character:Shrivenham features many...
Technical Staff course in 1946; he was then granted a regular commission as a lieutenant in the Wiltshire Regiment
Wiltshire Regiment
The Wiltshire Regiment was an infantry regiment of the line in the British Army, formed in 1881 by the amalgamation of the 62nd Regiment of Foot and the 99th Duke of Edinburgh's Regiment of Foot....
on 22 February 1947 (with seniority from 7 November 1941), and he was subsequently promoted to captain from the same date (with seniority from 1 July 1946). 1947 also saw his marriage to Joy Emily Ellen Taylor-Lane. In 1950 he passed the General Staff course at Staff College, Camberley
Staff College, Camberley
Staff College, Camberley, Surrey, was a staff college for the British Army from 1802 to 1997, with periods of closure during major wars. In 1997 it was merged into the new Joint Services Command and Staff College.-Origins:...
, he also qualified as pilot
Aviator
An aviator is a person who flies an aircraft. The first recorded use of the term was in 1887, as a variation of 'aviation', from the Latin avis , coined in 1863 by G. de la Landelle in Aviation Ou Navigation Aérienne...
, He was promoted major on 7 May 1953 (with seniority from 9 March 1953). For two years prior to this he had served as a General Staff Officer Grade II in the Infantry Directorate at the War Office
War Office
The War Office was a department of the British Government, responsible for the administration of the British Army between the 17th century and 1964, when its functions were transferred to the Ministry of Defence...
, working on standardisation of infantry weapons with his Belgian, Canadian and American couterparts, this work led to his appointment as a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 1953 Coronation Honours
Coronation of the British monarch
The coronation of the British monarch is a ceremony in which the monarch of the United Kingdom is formally crowned and invested with regalia...
. He transferred back to the Parachute Regiment on 31 May 1958, serving as second-in-command
Second-in-command
The Second-in-Command is the deputy commander of any British Army or Royal Marines unit, from battalion or regiment downwards. He or she is thus the equivalent of an Executive Officer in the United States Army...
of the 1st battalion
1st Battalion, The Parachute Regiment
The First Battalion, The Parachute Regiment is a battalion sized formation of the British Army's Parachute Regiment and subordinate unit within 16th Air Assault Brigade, but is permanently attached to the Special Forces Support Group....
. After a brief spell as Assistant Military Secretary
Military Secretary
The Military Secretary is the British Army appointment of which the incumbent is responsible for policy direction on personnel management for members of the British Army. It is a senior British Army appointment, held by an officer holding the rank of Major-General. The Military Secretary's...
at the War Office, he was promoted to lieutenant-colonel on 1 April 1960, and became commanding officer
Commanding officer
The commanding officer is the officer in command of a military unit. Typically, the commanding officer has ultimate authority over the unit, and is usually given wide latitude to run the unit as he sees fit, within the bounds of military law...
of 2nd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment
2nd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment
The Second Battalion, The Parachute Regiment is a battalion-sized formation of the British Army's Parachute Regiment and subordinate unit within 16th Air Assault Brigade whose Commanding Officer was Lieutenant Colonel Joseph O'Sullivan....
, based in Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
and Bahrain
Bahrain
' , officially the Kingdom of Bahrain , is a small island state near the western shores of the Persian Gulf. It is ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family. The population in 2010 stood at 1,214,705, including 235,108 non-nationals. Formerly an emirate, Bahrain was declared a kingdom in 2002.Bahrain is...
, and also during its participation in the British intervention in Kuwait.
King was promoted colonel on 10 December 1962, and then commanded the 11th Infantry Brigade group, based at Minden
Minden
Minden is a town of about 83,000 inhabitants in the north-east of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. The town extends along both sides of the river Weser. It is the capital of the Kreis of Minden-Lübbecke, which is part of the region of Detmold. Minden is the historic political centre of the...
in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, from 1963–65. He became Military Adviser (Overseas Equipment) in the Ministry of Defence
Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)
The Ministry of Defence is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces....
in 1965, and was promoted brigadier
Brigadier
Brigadier is a senior military rank, the meaning of which is somewhat different in different military services. The brigadier rank is generally superior to the rank of colonel, and subordinate to major general....
on 17 December 1965, continuing in the same role for the rest of 1966. On 1 January 1967 he was promoted Major-General
Major-General (United Kingdom)
Major general is a senior rank in the British Army. Since 1996 the highest position within the Royal Marines is the Commandant General Royal Marines who holds the rank of major general...
and appointed Director, Land/Air Warfare, and Commandant of the Army Air Corps. On 5 August 1968 he became Director, Military Assistance Overseas, back at the Ministry of Defence, stepping down on 15 May 1969. He was then appointed Commandant of the Royal Military College of Science on 10 July 1969, and in the 1971 New Year Honours
New Year Honours
The New Year Honours is a part of the British honours system, being a civic occasion on the New Year annually in which new members of most Commonwealth Realms honours are named. The awards are presented by the reigning monarch or head of state, currently Queen Elizabeth II...
was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB), he relinquished the post on 1 October 1971. It was widely expected that given his technical background he would become Master-General of the Ordnance
Master-General of the Ordnance
The Master-General of the Ordnance was a very senior British military position before 1855, when the Board of Ordnance was abolished.-Responsibilities:...
; but his command experience was equally strong and as a result, on promotion to lieutenant-general on 1 November 1971 (with seniority from 2 February 1971), he was appointed General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Army Strategic Command, and in the 1972 New Year Honours was promoted to Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB). The home commands were abolished in 1972, and so on 1 April King became Deputy Commander-in-Chief UK Land Forces
Commander Field Army (United Kingdom)
The Commander Field Army was a senior British Army officer who had command over the Deployable Divisions of the British Army i.e. those divisions on full strength...
, subordinate to General Sir Basil Eugster
Basil Eugster
General Sir Basil Oscar Eugster KCB, KCVO, CBE,DSO MC was a Commander in Chief, UK Land Forces.-Army career:A British soldier of Swiss descent, Basil Eugster attended Beaumont College. In 1935 he joined the Irish Guards. He served with his Regiment through World War II and fought in the Narvik...
, the Commander-in-Chief, he stepped down on 15 January 1973.
Northern Ireland
On 1 February 1973 King succeeded Sir Harry TuzoHarry Tuzo
General Sir Harry Craufurd Tuzo, GCB, OBE, MC was a British Army officer who was Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe and GOC of the British Army in Northern Ireland during the early period of the Troubles.-Early life:...
as GOC Northern Ireland and Director of Operations. This was the worst period of the Troubles, nearly 12,000 bombing and shooting incidents had occurred the year before King's appointment, but by the end of his period in command, the figure was down to just under 2,500 a year. His obituary in The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
states that he "was regarded by many as the best and most successful Director of Operations in Northern Ireland in the 1970s and 1980s", though it also notes that he himself would be happy to attribute much of the preparatory work to Tuzo (who has been described in similar terms). His success was attributable to a number of factors: he regularly visited the troops on the ground which gave him a good picture of the difficulties faced in particular areas; once a unit or commander had proved itself, he was happy to delegate considerable authority, in particular to his immediate subordinate, Commander Land Forces (Sir) Peter Leng
Peter Leng
General Sir Peter John Hall Leng, KCB, MBE, MC was a British Army General & Master-General of the Ordnance & Counter Terrorism Expert in Northern Ireland.-Military service:...
; he had a good relationship with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, informally the Northern Ireland Secretary, is the principal secretary of state in the government of the United Kingdom with responsibilities for Northern Ireland. The Secretary of State is a Minister of the Crown who is accountable to the Parliament of...
, Merlyn Rees, who said of King "You have never played at politics and I have never played at being a soldier; that's why we have got on so well." He was replaced in the post by Lieutenant-General Sir David House
David House
Lieutenant General Sir David George House GCB, KCVO, CBE, MC was a British Army officer who was General Officer Commanding in Northern Ireland during the Troubles, and later held the office of Black Rod.-Regimental career:...
on 1 August 1975. King was promoted to Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath (GCB) in the 1976 New Year Honours.
Later career and retirement
On 20 January 1976, King was granted local rank as general, and appointed Commander NATO Northern Army GroupNorthern Army Group
The Northern Army Group was a NATO military formation comprising four Western European Army Corps, during the Cold War as part of NATO's forward defence in the Federal Republic of Germany.- History :...
and Commander-in-Chief British Army of the Rhine
British Army of the Rhine
There have been two formations named British Army of the Rhine . Both were originally occupation forces in Germany, one after the First World War, and the other after the Second World War.-1919–1929:...
, again succeeding Tuzo. He was promoted to substantive general on 16 March 1976 (with seniority from 1 September 1975). He delivered the Kermit Roosevelt
Kermit Roosevelt
Kermit Roosevelt I MC was a son of U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt. He was an explorer on two continents with his father, a graduate of Harvard University, a soldier serving in two world wars, with both the British and U.S. Armies, a businessman, and a writer...
lectures in the United States' staff colleges in 1977, and relinquished his appointment on 30 September 1978, and retired from the army on 27 December 1978.
In addition to his command roles, King held the largely honorary appointments of colonel commandant
Colonel Commandant
Colonel Commandant is a military title used in the armed forces of some English-speaking countries. The title, not a substantive rank, could denote a senior colonel with authority over fellow colonels...
of the Army Air Corps from 1 November 1974 to 1 January 1980, and of Aide de Camp General to the Queen from 1977 to his retirement.
Following his retirement from the army, he served as a director and company chairman for a variety of firms, was chairman of the Arnhem Veterans' Association, and kept in close contact with the Parachute Regiment. He died on 30 March 1998, and was honoured with a memorial service at the Royal Garrison Church, Aldershot Garrison
Aldershot Garrison
Aldershot Garrison, also known as Aldershot Military Town, is a major garrison in South East England. Established in 1854, Aldershot has long been seen as the home of the British Army. The garrison was established when the war department brought a large area of land near to the village of...
on 8 June 1998.