Edward King was born in Theberton, Suffolk, at the end of 1866 and married Rosa Dickerson on 30th June 1891. The family lived in various locations around Suffolk, but the majority of their children were born in Bromeswell where they were living in 1911.

On 29th June 1915, Edward enlisted in the Army Service Corps in Woodbridge and was immediately sent to Woolwich. At this time, the maximum age for recruits was forty-two years old. Edward, who was forty-nine at the time, gave his age as forty years and eight months. After three months of training, Edward was posted to France and made the journey from Southampton to Le Havre on 17th September 1915 where he served with the 165th Company ASC, also known as the 18th Reserve Park. This company was responsible for looking after the horses used to get supplies to soldiers on the front line.

On 6th March the following year, Edward was admitted to the 2nd General Hospital in Le Havre, suffering from bronchitis. He was sent back to England onboard the Hospital Ship St Patrick and admitted to Wharncliffe Military Hospital in Sheffield for treatment. After his discharge from hospital, Edward was sent to the Army Service Corps depot at Catterick where it was recommended he be released from the army as “no longer physically fit for active service”. It would appear that Edward admitted to his real age at this point as, on his medical form, his age last birthday was listed as forty-nine.

For his war service, Edward received the 1914-15 Star and the British War and Victory Medals. He also received a Silver War Badge.