Frank King (British Army officer) facts for kids

General Sir Frank Douglas King (9 March 1919 – 30 March 1998) was an officer in the British Army. He is best known for being the top commander of the British Army in Northern Ireland during a difficult time called the Troubles. He started his military career as a regular soldier during the Second World War and went on to hold many important positions.

Early Life and World War II Service

Frank King was born on March 9, 1919, in a place called Brightwell, which was then in Berkshire, England. His parents, Arthur and Kate King, were farmers. Frank went to Wallingford Grammar School. He probably would have become a farmer like his parents, but then the Second World War began.

He first joined a part-time army unit called the Territorial Army. In 1940, he officially became an officer, starting as a second lieutenant in the Royal Welch Fusiliers. He later moved to other army groups, including the Royal Fusiliers, the Reconnaissance Corps, and finally the Parachute Regiment in 1943.

During the war, he took part in a big operation called Operation Market Garden. This was a plan to capture bridges in the Netherlands. During this operation, he was injured and became a prisoner of war at a place called Arnhem.

After the War: A Rising Military Career

After the war, Frank King was chosen for special training to become a staff officer. In 1946, he was one of the first students to complete a technical course at the Royal Military College of Science in Shrivenham. He then became a full-time officer in the Wiltshire Regiment in 1947 and was promoted to captain. In the same year, he married Joy Emily Ellen Taylor-Lane.

In 1950, he completed another important course at Staff College, Camberley. He also learned to fly planes! In 1953, he was promoted to major. Before this, he worked at the War Office (a government department for the army) to help make sure that infantry weapons were the same across different countries like Belgium, Canada, and the United States. For this important work, he was given an award called Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 1953.

In 1958, he returned to the Parachute Regiment. He became the second-in-command of the 1st battalion. After a short time working at the War Office again, he was promoted to lieutenant colonel in 1960. He then became the main commander of the 2nd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment. This battalion was based in places like Cyprus and Bahrain. They also helped during a British action in Kuwait.

Frank King continued to rise through the ranks. In 1962, he became a colonel. From 1963 to 1965, he commanded the 11th Infantry Brigade in Germany. He then worked at the Ministry of Defence in 1965, dealing with military equipment for overseas operations. He was promoted to brigadier in 1965 and major general in 1967. As a major general, he became the Director of Land/Air Warfare and the leader of the Army Air Corps.

In 1969, he became the leader of the Royal Military College of Science. In 1971, he received another award, being made a Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB). He was then promoted to lieutenant general in 1971 and became the top commander of the Army Strategic Command. In 1972, he was given the title Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB), which meant he was now "Sir Frank King."

Leading in Northern Ireland

On February 1, 1973, Sir Frank King took on a very challenging role. He became the General Officer Commanding (GOC) Northern Ireland and Director of Operations. This was during the worst time of the Troubles, a period of conflict in Northern Ireland.

The year before he arrived, there had been almost 12,000 bombing and shooting incidents. By the end of his time in command, this number had dropped to under 2,500 a year. Many people thought he was one of the most successful commanders in Northern Ireland during the 1970s and 1980s.

His success came from several things:

• He often visited the soldiers on the ground. This helped him understand the difficulties they faced.
• He trusted his units and commanders. Once they proved themselves, he gave them a lot of freedom to make decisions.
• He had a good working relationship with Merlyn Rees, who was the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. Rees said they got along well because King didn't try to play politics, and Rees didn't try to be a soldier.

Sir Frank King left his post in Northern Ireland on August 1, 1975. In 1976, he received an even higher honor, becoming a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath (GCB).

Later Career and Retirement

In 1976, Sir Frank King was promoted to the rank of full General. He became the Commander of the NATO Northern Army Group and the Commander-in-Chief of the British Army of the Rhine (the British Army in Germany). He retired from the army on December 27, 1978.

Besides his main command roles, he also held honorary positions. He was the colonel commandant of the Army Air Corps and an Aide de Camp General to the Queen.

After leaving the army, Sir Frank King worked as a director and chairman for different companies. He was also the chairman of the Arnhem Veterans' Association, staying in touch with the Parachute Regiment. He passed away on March 30, 1998. A special service was held to remember him at the Royal Garrison Church in Aldershot Garrison.