Private Albert J. Kings (14585242)
(12 platoon, ‘B’ Company)
After doing his basic training at Norton Barracks (23rd I.T.C) he was posted
in August, 1943 to the newly formed 1st Battalion Worcestershire Regiment,
stationed at Wanstead. The Battalion at that time was part of the 33rd
Guards Brigade. When the battalion joined the 43rd Division he took up the
role of Bren Gunner. He landed with the battalion in Normany in June 1944.
During the advance on Elst, Holland in September 1944 he was wounded in the
foot from machine gun fire. Below he recalls what happened:
Private Albert
J. Kings
“The epic battle for Elst was now in
progress, it took 4 days to capture this place, which was not in any way as
big as my home town of Bromsgrove. September, 23rd to 26th, 1944. September
24th, 12 platoon assembled to take its final objective; we could muster only
seven men and Lieut. Rex Fellows the Platoon Commander. On the way in a
burst of machine gun fire spat the earth at my feet, the toe cap of my boot
was shattered and I was bleeding badly. I made my way behind a Sherman tank
for cover and then over a road and a fence into the arms of two men of 10
Platoon. Lady luck had at last deserted me, my war was over.
I was flown back to England the General Hospital at Nottingham and the
Military Convalescent Depots at Halifax and Edinburgh.
I left Edinburgh and joined a holding Battalion at Ross-on-Wye; I was now
pronounced A1 again. V.E Day arrived and shortly after I was transferred to
the 8th Battalion Royal Warwicks at Abergaveny, who were destined for the
East. On the day I left for embarkation leave V.J Day was declared.
Our destination was only determined when we were at sea, we were to take
over from the K.S.L.I at Khartoum in the Sudan. After 10 uneventful months I
was demobbed under class B Release 7th July, 1946, to go back to work on the
land, work regarded as of national importance. The guns were no longer to be
heard, like thousands of others I had to readjust myself to civilian life.”
After the war Albert returned
to fruit farming and dedicated himself to welfare work with the Royal
British Legion and served on the services committee and was the Branch
Standard Bearer. He was awarded the Royal British Legion Gold Medal in 1995.
Albert Kings was keen on football and also acted as a Youth Leader.
Albert died at Bromsgrove on the 7th December 1997 at the age of 72.
Damaged British Sherman Tank near Elst (Sept. 1944)