[1] Having always had an interest in the military, King decided to make it his profession and joined the New Zealand Permanent Forces in 1910, having previously served with the local Cadet Corps and militia.

[1] Following the outbreak of First World War, King volunteered for the New Zealand Expeditionary Force and embarked for the Middle East in October 1914.

[1] The battalion was part of the New Zealand Division then being formed by Russell (now a major general) in Egypt following the withdrawal of Allied forces from Gallipoli.

The battalion was a mix of personnel which included the survivors of the Otago Mounted Rifles, the New Zealand Native Contingent and Pacific Islanders.

King, well regarded by Russell, set about merging the various elements of the battalion, many of whom were not particularly happy at losing the identity of their parent formations, into an effective unit.

[2] The battalion shifted north to Belgium in early 1917, and began work preparing the necessary infrastructure for the forthcoming Battle of Messines.

[1] Māori soldiers of the New Zealand Pioneer Battalion performed a waiata tangi, normally reserved for high-ranking chiefs, during his funeral.