Nicholas Arthur King OBE (Ch. 56-60)

The Club regrets to announce the death of Nicholas King on 24th January at the age of 77. Nicholas came to Allhallows in 1956 and initially joined Venning House then moved to Chudleigh and became a House Prefect in 1959. He was a member of a number of clubs and won his 1st XV Rugby colours in 1958.

After leaving Allhallows Nicholas was commissioned in The King’s Shropshire Light Infantry. His army career took him around the world and he served in Germany, Singapore, Malaysia, Mauritius, Australia, Cyprus, Hong Kong, Canada, the Soviet Union and Bulgaria.

In 1962-63 he went to St. Peter’s College, Oxford, where he gained an In-Service Degree in Geography.

In 1969 he embarked on a long language course in the UK and Paris, qualifying as a Russian interpreter in 1971. His army career thereafter was devoted in no small measure to military intelligence. His work as Senior Interpreter and Tour Officer with The British Commander-in-Chief’s Mission to the Soviet Forces in (East) Germany (BRIXMIS) from 1971 to 1973 earned the award of MBE.

In 1992 shortly after his retirement from the army he was awarded the OBE for his work as Defence Attache at the British Embassy in Sofia (Bulgaria).

Nicholas was a man of many parts; a highly professional soldier, an accomplished linguist, a keen rugby and tennis player and, to his friends a most engaging, scholarly and good humoured man. Once retired from the army he served for some years as House Governor of St. Monica’s, a charitable foundation. He was one-time governor of the Downs School, Wraxall, also of Queen Elizabeth Hospital School in Bristol; he was Honorary Treasurer to the Friends of the Bristol Museum. All the while he proved to be an accomplished author, with two novels to his credit.

The Club extends its sympathy to his family. He leaves behind his widow Helen, his son Charles, daughter Eloise and 6 grandchildren.