royal_navy officer commander bill king june september british naval officer author oldest participant solo non stop world yacht race sunday person command british submarine days world war time death surviving submarine commander brought mother grandmother king went assigned battleship resolution later commanding officer submarine served separate vessels world war promoted commander awarded seven medals war king survived world war succeeded attempt journey managed reach port despite collision large sea creature miles southwest australia family background childhood born king grandfather queen college appointed college opened argue species separate modern humans king father born married daughter surrey june attended chatham received commission second lieutenant prior world war included 1890s engineers constructed gun fortified coal stations south_africa engineers built designed major awarded major world war lieutenant colonel served 36th division belgium killed age lies buried military cemetery belgium april engineers helped prepare primarily mining enemy positions result father death brought mother grandmother grandmother formidable woman learned ski age sailed early naval career preparatory school age king sent devon documentary disastrous round world yacht race king said boxer champion long distance runner youth december april king posted battleship resolution served mediterranean time june january posted submarine served near china promoted lieutenant april king appointed lieutenant service vessel polish sailing vessel royal_navy gibraltar supply 8th submarine squadron seven months transferred sent portsmouth commanding officers course month stint aboard submarine depot ship followed king appointed commanding officer world war world war king served submarines patrolled north_sea mediterranean far_east outbreak war king sent patrol north_sea king commanding officer april april december sustained direct hit british aircraft returning patrol taking damage december july sank ships mainly include tanker merchant ship florida armed portland later lost command lieutenant minefield sunk german depth charges king served class submarine mediterranean_sea december unsuccessfully launched torpedoes boat italian torpedo boat july august king commanding officer class submarine dropped special forces unit western malaya october operating joint british dutch base ceylon sank japanese class submarine july tracked minutes fired spread torpedoes torpedo hit sank japanese boat lives lost men bridge watch survived rescued japanese war king promoted commander awarded seven medals including daring endurance resource conduct hazardous successful operations majesty submarines enemy september bravery determination successful patrols submarines whilst command bar added january outstanding courage skill determination successful patrols far eastern waters specifically sinking received eighth medal king ended royal_navy career executive officer submarine depot ship forth appointment held september april formal retirement came post war life marriage january king married king eldest child sir shane 3rd wife vermont born daughter ambassador spain bill probably met lebanon king served months executive officer submarine base skiing trip duty africa letter mentions ambulance driver awarded general wrote dozen books including love remarkable sir winston_churchill american grandfather wrote biography person sail world single stop kings children war king took farming avid fox hunter wife kings bought 15th century norman built bay county ireland sources report given castle mother bought kings lived hunting lodge outside designed bill built went world sailing cruise help combat wife king developed organic farm garden feed family mother grandmother suffered solo king intent sailing world boat built purpose yard king boat cold schooner specially designed angus certain boat named local fox hunting club ireland dates based boats seen china foot schooner rig sail regard similar rigged colonel single handed cross atlantic race king teamed design boat displayed london boat january king intention sail world overtaken institution march sunday aged king oldest participant organised round world solo yacht race deep water king explained joined race means recovering psychologically years service submarines said left nervous wreck planned sail world heard race sort caught aunt legacy provided means finance boat king sponsored newspapers shortcomings boat guard rails hold king solved problem steel wire stretched bow stern harness method copied fellow king started race august race king lived raw food dried fruit stirred paste green grew board read buddhist writing light asia best novels said depressed journey beauty surrounding god opportunity sin king lost radio contact race october capsized foot waves northeast king rested breaking masts king towed cape_town south_africa king tried failed ready attempt ill health hull damage forced ashore australia departing december large sea creature whale shark damaged boat miles southwest skill heroic efforts able vessel afloat jury repairs king deck heard shattering sound saw hull water line inward splinter rushed upstairs boat hole lifted water hang carry emergency repairs material included thirteen ropes sticky tape collision covers sheet copper rubber fix inside hull days work able return barely able port journey eventually successful king completing global awarded king blue water medal recognition feat year sold landlord devon pub wrote book experiences boat lost june tenth plymouth england newport rhode_island usa later life september king daughter lived castle life experiences continue attract media attention film music art installation filmed documentaries 1960s bbc short deep water war experiences documentary film makers king interviewed planned productions minute episode entitled honour peace proposed series entitled bravery beneath waves commander recent attention arises king interaction subject print media articles exhibition video interviews son chief engineer perished sought king king father killed sank dutch submarine planted tree castle honour fathers local paper dubbed meeting castle reconciliation subsequently released video material interviews internet installations july project art exhibition referenced king response japanese peace reconciliation arranged featured art works daughter grand daughter lost sea installation collaboration based cane set stories told electronic music visual artist installation exhibited dublin new_york_city great nephew produced short film king waves king solo encounter great white shark included interviews king screened king family ninety ninth birthday shortly film festivals king died september time death oldest surviving world war submarine commander published works stick stars adventure depth dive attack updates stick stars describes author experiences world war stars guide lone sailors boston london wind god press
Bill King (Royal Navy officer)