Regimental number | 10182 |
Place of birth | East Brunswick, Melbourne, Victoria |
School | Wesley College, Victoria |
Religion | Church of England |
Occupation | Clerk |
Address | East Brunswick, Victoria |
Marital status | Single |
Age at embarkation | 21 |
Next of kin | Father, G H Hills, 33 Nicholson Street, East Brunswick, Victoria |
Previous military service | Nil |
Enlistment date | |
Date of enlistment from Nominal Roll | |
Rank on enlistment | Private |
Unit name | No. 3 Australian General Hospital, 1st Reinforcements |
Embarkation details | Unit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board HMAT A23 Suffolk on |
Rank from Nominal Roll | Lance Corporal |
Unit from Nominal Roll | 8th Field Ambulance |
Other details from Roll of Honour Circular | Awarded the Military Medal, 26 April 1918. Was also recommended for the Victoria Cross in October 1917 for conspicuous bravery in the field, according to Sergeant J. Francis Murphy, a fellow stretcher bearer. Lt Colonel A.R. Clayton wrote that 'his decoration of MM was well earned while rescuing a wounded man in a very brave and ingenious manner.' |
Fate | Killed in Action |
Place of death or wounding | Harbonnieres, France |
Age at death | 24 |
Age at death from cemetery records | 24 |
Place of burial | Heath Cemetery (Plot I, Row F, Grave No. II), Harbonnieres, France |
Panel number, Roll of Honour, Australian War Memorial | 182 |
Miscellaneous information from cemetery records | Parents: George and Mary HILLS, 25 Nicholson Street, East Brunswick, Victoria |
Medals |
Military Medal 'On the morning of 25th April, 1918, word was brought by a British Officer to the Car Loading Post near VILLERS BRETONNEUX where Lance Corporal HILLS was stationed, that a wounded man was lying in the gully, off the VILLERS BRETONNEUX FOUILLOY Road, in a shell hole. In company with three others, this N.C.O. (a stretcher bearer) took a stretcher and went searching. Enemy shelling at this spot was heavy at the time. After a while, they located a wounded man looking out of shell hole. An enemy sniper then opened on the party from the vicinity of VILLERS BRETONNEUX which we had captured a few hours previously. Crawling and dragging the stretcher they got to the shell hole, and started back, two men (one of them Lance Corporal HILLS) carrying. The first sniper was now reinforced by a second sniper, but they were evidently poor shots and the party safely returned to the Car Loading Post, where the man was properly dressed and evacuated. The gully is close to VILLERS BRETONEUX and under direct observation. All day on 25th April, 1918, I can testify that the enemy shelling was very severe hereabouts. On many other occasions this N.C.O. has gone searching for wounded, showing at all times great initiative and absolute fearlessness and endurance.'
Source: 'Commonwealth Gazette' No. |
Other details | Medals: Military Medal, 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal |