Name
Eli Hills
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
21/03/1918
37
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Gunner
236570
Royal Field Artillery
"A" Bty. 82nd Bde.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
TYNE COT MEMORIAL
Addenda Panel 162.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
No Report
UK & Other Memorials
Not on the Clothall memorials*1, Not on Stoke Newington memorials
Pre War
Eli was born in Toggs, Clothall, Herts in 1880 (baptised 1880), the son of James Hills, a labourer, born 1839 in Cottered, and Ann (nee Coulson) born 1843 in Fenstanton, Cambs. On the 1881 Census the Family of Parents, Eli and elder brother George together with sisters Ellen, Martha, Susannah, Annie, Catherine were living at Kingwood, Clothall. On the 1891 the family now consisting of Parents, George, Catherine and Eli had been joined by Ruth and Samuel. The 1901 Census records Eli, working as Groom/Horsekeeper and living as a boarder with the Shelford family in Compton Buildings, Clerkenwell , Holborn, London.
In 1902 Eli married Emily Presland. The 1911 Census records Eli and family of Emily, sons Edward James (born 1904), Alfred Stanley (born 1910) and daughter Doris (born 1908) were living at 12 Powell St (two rooms 2nd Floor), Holborn, London
Wartime Service
Eli was enlisted as Gunner 236570 Royal Field Artillery. Little detail is known as no service record could be found, some information was found in other records. He was posted to A Battery, LXXXII (82) Brigade RFA. This Brigade of Artillery, consisting of 4 Batteries (A, B, C, D), each of six 18 pounder howitzers and were allocated to 18th (Eastern) Division. In Spring of 1918 the German offensive (Kaiserschlact or Kaisers Battle) was launched during a period of reorganisation of the British Army. The 18th (Eastern) Division had been redeployed from the Ypres area to the Somme area and took part in the fighting during the Battle of St Quentin (21 -23 Mar 1918). There were heavy British Casualties and Eli was reported missing presumed to have died on 21 Mar 1918. His Record of Soldier’s Effects had been opened and his arrears calculated but a note records “Man alive and POW”*1. There is a POW Card for Eli in the Red Cross records but there is no other detail. As no remains have been recovered Eli is remembered on an addenda panel of the Tyne Cot Memorial, Ypres.
However, despite the above, on the wartimememoriesproject.com website there is a record from a grandson that states Eli’s Battery, located 1000yds west of Fort Venduil, was overrun on the 21 Mar 1918 around 5pm and he was taken prisoner for the rest of the war returning home when the Great War ended. Surprisingly his wife received a memorial scroll and plaque. There is record of him living in Stoke Newington on the 1939 Register.
Additional Information
Eli's service number is quoted as 236570 on some records. *1 As he appears to have survived his inscription on Tyne Cot needs reassessing by the CWGC.
Acknowledgments
Neil Cooper
