William Richard Hill

Submitted by Mt Kembla Minin... on Sat, 02/01/2016 - 09:12
First Name: 
William
Middle Name: 
Richard
Last Name: 
Hill
Date of Birth: 
Tuesday, January 3, 1893
Mother's Name: 
Francis Ella Hill nee Stokam
Father's Name: 
Joseph Hill
Date Enlisted: 
Wednesday, December 29, 1915
Rank at Enlistment: 
Private
Rank at Discharge: 
Private
Unit: 
55th Battalion
Company: 
D
Service: 
Infantry
Awards: 
British War Medal
Victory Medal
Date of Death: 
Wednesday, September 26, 1917
Place of Death: 
Polygon Wood, Belgium
Cause of Death: 
Killed in action
Details: 

William Hill (Service No 5110) was born in Seattle, USA and came to Australia after 1910.  On 18th July 1914 he married Ruby Howard at Bulli, N.S.W.

When William enlisted he was 23 years old, employed as a coal miner, and lived at Austinmer, N.S.W.

William embarked from Sydney on SS Makarini with 16th Reinforcements, 3rd Battalion on 1st April 1916 and arrived in Egypt on 2nd May 1916.

On 20th May 1916 he was transferred to D Company, 55th Battalion and the troops arrived in France on 29th June 1916. 

On 13th March 1917 William was admitted to hospital in France suffering from shell shock.  He returned to his unit on 23rd March. 

On 26th September 1917 William was killed in action near Polygon Wood.

There is no known grave for William; he is commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial at Ypres, Belgium.

William's sacrifce is commemorated on the Austinmer War Memorial (listed as R Hill).

Sources: 
NAA: B2455, HILL W R

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