With the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939 the Canadian Government encouraged all able-bodied men to enlist in the Armed Forces, especially veterans from the Great War of 1914 to 1918. One of the first to enlist from the Windsor area was William Lennox Mills King.
William King was born in Valleyfield, Quebec near the turn of the century, son of an Anglican minister. As a child the family moved to Picton, Ontario where William received his education.
With the outbreak of the Great War in Europe, William who was just a teen out of high school enlisted with the Canadian Expeditionary Forces. He was transferred to the Princess Pats infantry and saw active service throughout the Great War. With the end of hostilities in 1918, William served with the Canadian Army crossing the Rhine in it's occupation force. It was during this time that William was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant, quite an accomplishment for a young man in his late teens.
After the Great War ended William returned to Picton and worked as a clerk for the next five years. At the end of that time he relocated to the Windsor and Detroit area finding employment with a local accounting firm.
On June 20th 1929 William King was initiated into Freemasonry as a member of Harmony Lodge No. 579 in Windsor. On October 31st Brother King was raised to the sublime degree of a Master Mason. Brother King was also a member of St. George's Anglican Church in Walkerville.
With the outbreak of War in 1939 Brother King enlisted with the Canadian Armed Forces and was assigned to the Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment, R. C. I. C. After extensive training throughout the fall of 1939 and the spring of 1940 the Regiment was scheduled to be transported overseas.
Shortly before Lieutenant King's Regiment left for the war in Europe, he was engaged to wed Miss Alice Ruberk of Windsor.
The final stop in Canada for the Regiment was Quebec City. In Quebec City the Regiment would board a North Atlantic Convoy that would take it to Europe. While awaiting departure Lieutenant Brother King became ill and was admitted to a local hospital. Unable to join his fellow soldiers for the time being the Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment left for Europe. While in hospital William's condition continued to deteriorate. On April 7th 1940 Lieutenant Brother William Lennox Mills King passed on to eternity.
Brother King's final resting place was in Hillier, Ontario at Christ Church Burial Ground.
