Early Naval Career
After preparatory school, at the age of twelve, King was sent to the Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, in Devon. In the 2006 documentary about the disastrous 1968 round-the-world yacht race; Deep Water, King said that he had been a boxer and a "champion long-distance runner" in his youth.
From December 1927 to April 1930, King was posted to the battleship Resolution, which served in the Mediterranean. During this time he became a midshipman. From June 1932 to January 1934, he was posted to the submarine Orpheus, which served near China. He was promoted to lieutenant in 1932. In April 1935, King was appointed first lieutenant of the service vessel Pigmy, formerly the Polish sailing vessel Iskra, used by the Royal Navy at Gibraltar to supply the 8th Submarine Squadron. After seven months, he was transferred to Starfish, then to Narwhal, before being sent to Portsmouth for a commanding officers' course at HMS Dolphin. A four-month stint aboard the submarine depot ship Titania followed, before King was appointed commanding officer of Snapper.
Read more about this topic: Bill King (Royal Navy Officer)
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