king2a copy CHARLES GORDON KING Design provided by Quench Design & Communications Inc., Port Hope. SOLDIER, EDUCATOR, HISTORIAN and SPORTSMAN Colonel King admires Colonel King Credit: Cobourg Public Library Charles Gordon King was born in Uxbridge, Ontario and attended public school there. He went on to Victoria College at the University of Toronto, taking an honours course in Latin and Greek and graduating with the gold medal. From university, Mr. King enrolled at the Ontario College of Education, and graduated in 1936. "Jobs were scarce, in those days," he once recounted, "so when there was an opportunity to come to Cobourg, I took it. I joined the militia, the 22nd Medium Battery, my first year in town, and when it was mobilized in July 1940, I left the school and was with the army for six years and one week overseas." Mr. King became battery commander and a major during his service overseas, commanding troops in North West Europe. After the war ended he stayed on with the occupational forces. He returned to Cobourg in February 1946 and was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel, becoming Commanding Officer of the 33rd Medium Regiment of Cobourg. On his return to Cobourg, Colonel King resumed teaching at the Cobourg District Collegiate. There was just one high school in town at the time and he became its principal in 1953. During his time there he witnessed five additions and the building of a second high school. From 1960 to 1963 he supervised both the East and the West Collegiates. On his retirement in 1972 Colonel King wondered whether the increased sloppiness in students' dress which he had witnessed over the years correlated in any way with their level of achievement! C. Gordon King was both active and influential in the life of Cobourg. Peter Delanty, three-term Mayor of Cobourg, described him this way: "When you look at anything of significance in Cobourg you will see that he was at the forefront of it. Gord was a clear and rational thinker who would go directly to the problem. He always saw how a situation should be tackled." Lieutenant Colonel Charles Gordon King died in 2003 at the age of 92. The building which houses Cobourg's Library and Archives, the C. Gordon King Centre, is named in his honour. The uniform and case which are on display have been loaned by the Royal Canadian Legion Cobourg Branch 133.