Hill, Thomas John (China)

Age: 26
Date of birth:

Parents: Thomas and Pheobe Hill
Wife:
Address: 21 Pickard Street

Occupation: General labourer

Thomas was the second of five children. His eldest sister was Agnes and his younger brothers were Joseph, Victor and Frank. In 1911, Thomas’ cousin, Ivy Hewins, was also living with the family.

Thomas’ father was a labourer at the Nelson Dale Gelatine Factory at Emscote Wharf and the family lived at 21 Pickard Street for many years.

Warwick Advertiser – 8th September 1917

The notice of his death in the Warwick Advertiser on September 29th 1917 indicates that he was known as “China”, although this item in Local War Items suggests that his family had already heard of his death 3 weeks earlier.

Military Service

Rank & Number: Bombardier, 614054
Regiment/Service: 1st/1st (Warwick) Battery, Royal Horse Artillery
Brigade/Division: 1st Warwick Battery
Date of death: Thursday, August 30, 1917
Cause of death/Battle: Killed in action
Commemorated/Buried: Duhallows Advanced Dressing Station Cemetery, Belgium
Awards: 1914 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal
Commemorated locally at: All Saints Church, All Saints School

John Franklin writes:

‘Thomas John Hill was my paternal grandmother Agnes’ brother so I have attached a photograph of him in his RHA uniform, together with his gravestone and those of his comrades who fell in action on the same day, August 30th 1917.

My wife & I went on a battlefield tour of Ypres & Passchendale in 2011 & found his grave .He was buried alongside 4 companions all members of the Royal Horse Artillery 15th(Warwick) Bde  614089 G.Crowther of Leamington 614314 A.Sadler of Staffs 614023 J.Durran of Leamington and lastly 614488 A.Goodman who I think was from Cherry Street Warwick from some research I did at the time but does not seem to be on the Warwick War Memorial.

The 5 comrades had been reburied in Duhallow ADS Cemetery in August 1919 originally buried in a spot in the village of Boesinghe (Boezinge) trench map reference 28.B.12.a.5.6 near to where they had been killed.

It would seem likely that the 5 men were killed in the same instant perhaps enemy cannon fire hitting their gun and carriage plus perhaps ammunition.  I have one of  Thomas war medals, the 1914-15 Star ….’

China is commemorated along with his colleagues in St Mary’s Church, Warwick.

Contributors

  • John Franklin – grandson of Agnes, Thomas’s sister
  • Warwick Advertiser items courtesy of Warwickshire County Record Office
  • Unlocking Warwick Research Group

Leave a Reply