Name
Arthur Rowland Hill
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
13/05/1915
22
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
3189
London Regiment *1
13th (County of London) Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Not Yet Researched
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
FRAMERVILLE COMMUNAL CEMETERY
III. B. 10.
France
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Abbots Langley Village Memorial, Watford Grammar School Memorial, Watford Grammar School Book of Remembrance
Biography
Arthur was schooled at Watford Grammar School between January 1904 and June 1909.
When the Great War broke out in August 1914 Arthur Hill was working as an Insurance Clerk and was living in Kensington where he attested. He later enlisted with the 13th London Battalion (Kensington’s) when they came to Abbots Langley early in the War. He was born at Abbots Langley in 1893, one of four sons and three daughters of the village Draper, William Hill and his wife Frances. The family home was at “The Limes” in Abbots Road, near the junction with the High Street, close to where the Abbots Langley Post Office is located today.
Arthur’s Medal Roll Card recorded that he went to France on 6th March 1915 and was wounded in action during the Battle of Aubers Ridge on 9th May. The Kensington’s lost 436 officers and men in the action. He was evacuated to the Casualty Clearing Station at Merville, northern France, where he died of wounds on 13th May and was buried in the Merville Communal Cemetery, along with another man from Abbots Langley, Ernest Roome (Grenadier Guards), who was killed in action three years later on 27th March 1918.
An obituary appeared in the Watford Illustrated on 22 May 1915: “Died of Wounds – Private A.R. Hill, 13th London Regiment (Kensingtons), second son of Mr William Hill, Abbots Langley, has died in hospital of wounds received on the 9th. He was formerly a member of the Abbots Langley Church Choir, and a memorial service was held in the Church, on Wednesday evening, the 19th”
Vicar Parnell, the Vicar of St Lawrence, Abbots Langley, added his own commemoration the Parish Magazine of June 1915: “The sorrow of the war has been brought home to us in a very real way during the past month. Arthur Rowland Hill, of the 13th (Kensington) London Regiment died on Ascension Day (13th May) of wounds received at Aubers on May 9th. He was very closely and intimately connected with our Church, formerly as a member of the Choir and then as a Sunday School Teacher, and a regular communicant from the time of his Confirmation. He gave up his home and civil life and made ‘the great surrender’ and was prepared to give up all even to his bright, young, vigorous, happy life for the liberty and honour of his country, and we are sure that in losing his life he has found it. His relatives and friends may be assured that he has the real and true sympathy of all in the Parish. Mr and Mrs Hill and family wish to express their thanks for the many kind tokens of sympathy which they have received and which they greatly appreciate.”
Arthur’s elder brother, Francis William Hill served with the Royal Fusiliers from July 1916, and later with the Royal Veterinary Corps where he reached the rank of Acting Quarter Master Sergeant. His younger brother, Bertrand Ernest attested on 3rd September 1914 and served throughout the War with the 13th London (Kensington) Regiment. Both brothers survived the Great War. His brother in law, Richard Annear survived the War.
Additional Information
*1 Believed more correctly, (County of London) Bn. London Regiment (Kensington).
Acknowledgments
Roger Yapp - www.backtothefront.org
