Great Stuff,
Although NZ had no Ordnance Corp in 1914, the need for one had been recognised in 1913 and in plans made to establish Ordnance depots at each of the Territorial Force Annual camps, the first in 1913 and again in 1914.
These Ordnance Depots utilised standard scales for Camp Equipment, (I have a copy somewhere) and took a lot of the stores administrate tasks away from the individual battalions freeing them up for more Training time. Senior Staff were from the Defence Stores (Captain Beck was the Officer in charge of the Camp Ordnance for the Auckland Divisional Camp at Cambridge in April 1914) and all other staff were drawn from the Territorial Force and Trained in Ordnance functions.
So it is highly Likely that King and Levien were part of this pre war Ordnance Cadre, hence their selection for their wartime roles. I have a record that shows that as at the 12th of June 1914 the NZAOC had a strength of 14 OR's, which is strange for a corps that contemporary history has us believe did not exist until 1917.
As you mentioned King went on to be a Brigadier, He became the New Zealand Director of Ordnance Services (DOS) in 1924 and remained in that position until 1940. He was then the DADOS HQ 2 NZ Div and sailed with the 1st echelon. In 1942 he was appointed DDOS LofC for the 8th Army, and then was the DDOS 9th Army and was responsible for the military supply organisation and relief of the civil population during the liberation of Greece in 1944, quite an achievement for a Kiwi lad from Milton. her retied in 1947 and was Colonel Commandant of the RNZAOC for 12 years. he passed away in 1971.
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