Name
William Hill
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
149373
Royal Garrison Artillery
35th Anti-Aircraft Company
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Not Yet Researched
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Biography
William Hill was first identified from the Langleybury Parish Magazine in June 1916, where he was shown serving with the Royal Field Artillery (RFA). Further investigation showed that he had been listed in the Langleybury Parish Magazine in March 1915, where he was recorded serving with the RFA with the rank of Gunner. He was also mentioned in the Magazine published in February 1917. However later analysis of the Census Records revealed that in 1911 he lived at 79 Breakspeare Road, Abbots Langley. Hence William Hill has been included in both the records for Langleybury and Abbots Langley.
William Hill was born on 1st October 1878 at Langleybury and was baptised at St Paul’s church on 12th November 1878. He was one of ten children born to John and Sophia Hill (four sons and six daughters). At the time of the 1881 Census the family lived at Gallows Hill, and John worked as a Railway Labourer. The family continued to live at Gallows Hill at the time of the 1891 Census. John worked as a Plate-layer on the Railways. By 1901 the family had moved to Railway Cottage, Home Park. John continued to work as a Plate-layer.
William married Annie Edmends on 17th December 1910 at St Pauls Langleybury. Annie’s family lived at Shafford Bottom, Apsley End, where her father worked as a Blacksmith. Her brother Norman also served in the Great War. In 1911 the Census showed that William and Annie lived at 79 Breakspeare Road, Abbots Langley, and William’s occupation was given as a Reedman at a Paper Mill.
On 15th March 1915 William enlisted, aged over 37 years old. He gave his address at 208 Church Road, Willesden, and his occupation as a Labourer. Three children had been born to William and Annie. The first was born four months after their wedding, and the third only one day prior to William enlisting. He attested to the Royal Garrison Artillery and indicated that he had had previous service with the Royal Horse Artillery – maybe as a Territorial soldier in the years before the War. William joined up on 22nd March 1915, at Glasgow, and on 26th June was posted to the Royal Field Artillery. From 13th July 1915 to 15th March 1916 William served in France.
On 15th March 1916 William returned to England, suffering from influenza and was admitted to Cottesbrooke Hospital in Northamptonshire. On the next day he was posted with the rank Gunner to the 56th Reserve Brigade. He was transferred to 1st Eastern General Hospital at Cambridge on 17th April, and was discharged on the same day. William was granted ten days leave, and on 5th May 1916 he was sent to a camp at Ripon, but only spent a short time there. On 25th November his Service Record Conduct Sheet recorded that whilst at Tilshead Camp on Salisbury Plain he was charged with “not being shaved on 9.00am parade”, and was confined to barracks for seven days. William remained in England for the rest of the War. On 21st August 1918 he served with the 35th Anti-Aircraft Company of the Royal Garrison Artillery at Harwich. William was finally demobilised from the 35th Anti-Aircraft Company on 12th February 1919 and returned to an address at Church Hill, Bedmond.
William Hill survived the War. His brother-in-law Norman Edmends was discharged disabled from the Machine Gun Corps in October 1918. William was recorded in the Langleybury records throughout the War, but despite living in Abbots Langley from 1910 he was not included in that village’s records.
Additional Information
Formerly 95064, 78th Brigade & 56th Reserve Brigade Royal Field Artillery.
Acknowledgments
Roger Yapp - www.backtothefront.org
