George V (BRIG. GEN. W.B.M. KING C.M.G. D.S.O.). Naming is officially impressed. Light contact, near extremely fine.
Footnote: William Birchall Macaulay King was born on January 13, 1878 in Port Colborne, Ontario, the son of Colonel Frank King. He served with 'C' Battery, Royal Canadian Field Artillery during the South African War in 1900 and in the South African Constabulary from 1901 to 1902. For his South African War service, King was awarded the Queen's South Africa Medal with four clasps and the King's South Africa Medal with two clasps. King signed his Attestation Paper as a Major with the 3rd Infantry Battalion "Toronto Regiment", Canadian Expeditionary Force, on September 24, 1914 at Camp Valcartier, at the age of 36, naming his next-of-kin as Mary Nora Beatrice King of Toronto, Ontario, stating that he had twenty-two years' previous service with the Canadian Militia (seconded six years), one year with 'C' Battery of the Royal Canadian Artillery and three years' with the South African Constabulary, that he was a Widower and that his trade was that of Manufacturer. It was noted during his medical examination that he had a scar in the centre of his forehead. The Battalion was raised in Toronto with mobilization headquarters at Camp Valcartier, Quebec under the authority of P.C.O. 2067, August 6, 1914. The Battalion sailed October 3, 1914 under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel R. Rennie with a strength of 43 officers and 1,100 other ranks. The Battalion served in France and Belgium with the 1st Infantry Brigade, 1st Canadian Division. Major King was made a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order, the announcement appearing in the Supplement to the London Gazette 29202 of Tuesday, June 22, 1915, on Wednesday, June 23, 1915, page 6129, and the Edinburgh Gazette 12824 of Tuesday, June 29, 1915, page 935: "William Birchall Macaulay King, Major, 10th Battery, 3rd Canadian Artillery Brigade. For distinguished service in the field." He was in the rank of Major with the Canadian Artillery when he was named Temporary Lieutenant-Colonel effective September 21, 1915, the announcement appearing in the Third Supplement to the London Gazette 29319 of Tuesday, October 5, 1915, on Thursday, October 7, 1915, page 9876. A follow-up announcement in the Third Supplement to the London Gazette 29380 of Tuesday November 23, 1915, on Thursday, November 25, 1915, page 11741, stated that the previous announcement of October 7th had been antedated to September 7, 1915. He was Mentioned in Despatches in the London Gazette six times: on June 22, 1915, on January 4, 1917, on June 1, 1917, on December 28, 1917, on May 28, 1918, and on December 31, 1918. In the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel, he was made Officier de l'Ordre de la Couronne (Officer of the Order of the Crown) of Belgium, the announcement appearing in the London Gazette on September 24, 1917. He also awarded the Belgian Croix de Guerre (War Cross), the announcement appearing in the London Gazette on March 11, 1918. King was made a Commander of the Military Division of the Order of St. Michael and St. George, the announcement appearing in the Second Supplement to the London Gazette 30716 of Friday, May 31, 1918, on Monday, June 3, 1918, page 6454. For his First World War service, he was awarded the 1914-15 Star, the British War Medal and the Victory Medal. King later became a Brigadier-General, C.R.A. (Commanding or Commander Royal Artillery), 4th Canadian Divisional Artillery and was also awarded the George V Colonial Auxiliary Forces Long Service Medal. After the war, William Birchall Macaulay King married Selina Adine Bridgeman, daughter of Brigadier-General, The Honourable Francis Charles Bridgeman and Gertrude Cecilia Hanbury, on January 31, 1920, the two later having a son, Frank, who was later to become Colonel Frank King. William Birchall Macaulay King died on June 22, 1950, at the age of 72.