Name
Justus Alexander Hill
21 Sep 1890
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
01/11/1914
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Cooks Mate
M/3422 (Dev)
Royal Navy
H.M.S "Monmouth"
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Navy Star, British War Medal and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
PLYMOUTH NAVAL MEMORIAL
Panel 4
United Kingdom
Headstone Inscription
NA
UK & Other Memorials
Hitchin Town Memorial, Holy Saviour Church War Memorial, Radcliffe Rd., Hitchin, St Mary's Church Roll of Honour, Hitchin, Hitchin British Boys' School Memorial, Hitchin
Pre War
Justus Alexander was born in 21 Sep 1890 in Hitchin and christened on 19 October 1890 in Holy Savior Church, Hitchin. His parents were Emma and Samuel Hill.
In 1891 the family were living at 12 Ickleford Road, Hitchin. Present were both parents: Samuel (36) and Emma (40), with Samuel working as a butcher. Their children were: Jennie (9), Rowland M (8), Daisy E (6), Ann F (5), Henry W (2) and Justus aged 6 months.
Justus attended Hitchin British Boys' School.
In 1901 the family were living at the same address, Hitchin, but at 50 Emma was now a widow. Of the children Jennie, Rowland and Daisy were absent. Henry was now listed as William and Julius as Alexander. New siblings were Harriet M (7) and Dorothy E (5) – suggesting that Samuel did after 1995. Also present were two boarders.
Justus worked as a shop assistant until he enlisted in the Royal Navy on 4 May 1909 and was described as 5’ 6”, with brown hair and eyes with a fresh complexion. He served on the Vivid I until 3/6/1909, Emerald to 13/7/1910, during which time he was promoted to Officer’s steward (29/8/1909) and then the Hood until 29/9/1911. The following day his rating was changed to Second class Chef’s Mate. His service record does not list any further ships or postings. One clue might be that in the 1911 census Justus was found on the ship, H.M.S Royalist they were in harbour on board were 32 – 18 were absent. With total being 3 warrant officers, 41 seamen and 6 Royal Marines.
Wartime Service
By August 1914 he was already Service Number M.3422(D) and a member of the crew of H.M.S. ‘Monmouth’ which was of 9800 tons with 14 x 6" guns of an old pattern, she was completed in 1903.
On the 1st November 1914 H.M.S. ‘Monmouth’ was part of a Squadron under Sir Christopher Cradock, which included the cruiser H.M.S. ‘Good Hope’ (flagship), the light cruiser H.M.S. ‘Glasgow’ and the auxiliary cruiser ‘Otranto’ off the coast of Chile near Coronel. Opposed to them was the German Admiral Von Spee with the cruisers ‘Gneisnau’ and ‘Scharnhorst’ plus 3 light cruisers. The attack began at 6.18pm on the 1st November 1914 and in ten minutes the ‘Monmouth’ was ablaze as the warship was unable to get close enough to the enemy to do any damage. The two lighter warships were ordered to withdraw. At 7.50pm the ‘Good Hope’ blew up killing Cradock and at 9.30pm the ‘Monmouth’ was sunk still refusing to surrender.
No attempt was made by the Germans to pick up survivors, even though no other British warships were in the vicinity. The crushing defeat was avenged some months later by the British Navy in the Battle of the Falklands when Admiral Von Spee and his German fleet were sunk.
His mother was notified of his death at 20, Benslow, Hitchen, Herts.
He has no known grave, but is remembered on the Naval Memorial to the Missing at Plymouth.
Additional Information
His pension cards record Emma, his mother, as his dependant, living at 20 Benslow, Hitchin, then 89 Patherton Road, Highbury, London and then later still 45 Glengall Road, Kilburn, London NW6. She was awarded a pension of 21s a week from 9 December 1918.
Acknowledgments
Adrian Dunne, David C Baines, Jonty Wild
