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May 19, 1882
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Born in Bobcaygeon, Ontario to William and
Susannah (nee McCracken) Hill
Note that his birth registration shows his name
as William Hamilton Hill
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Apr 25, 1905
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Married to Rose Dora Levina Lyons in Kinmount,
Ontario
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Jan 3, 1916
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Attested into the 109th Battalion CEF
in Lindsay, Ontario
Ø Number 725555
Ø Next of kin given as Rose Dora Levina Hill, wife, Bobcaygeon, Ontario
Ø Previous occupation given as labourer
Ø No previous military experience given
Ø Religion given as Methodist
Ø Assigned to “C” Company
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Jul 23, 1916
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Embarked the SS Olympic in Halifax, Nova Scotia
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Jul 31, 1916
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Disembarked in Liverpool, England and proceeded
to the Bordon Camp, west of Bramshott
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Aug 16. 1916
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The battalion moved to Bramshott to continue
training
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Oct 5, 1916
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Transferred to the 21st Battalion
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Oct 6, 1916
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Arrived at the CBD (Canadian Base Depot) in the
Rouelles Camp, Havre, France as part of a draft of 94 reinforcements from England and TOS
(Taken On Strength) the 21st Battalion
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Oct 22, 1916
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After leaving the CBD he joined the 21st
Battalion in Divisional Reserve in the town of Bully Grenay, France
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Dec 3, 1916
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In the days leading up to December 3, the
battalion was in the front lines near Calonne, France and came under fire on several of
those days. It is not recorded in the file,
but Private Hill was wounded in the right arm during this time and after receiving
treatment near the front, was transferred to the No. 3 Canadian General Hospital in
Boulogne for treatment.
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Dec 7, 1916
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Invalided to England aboard the Hospital Ship
St. Andrew
On arrival in England he was admitted to the
Lakenham Hospital in Norwich
Posted to the CCAC (Canadian Casualty Assembly
Centre) for pay purposes while in hospital
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Feb 10, 1917
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Transferred to the Canadian Convalescent
Hospital in Epsom to continue his recovery
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Feb 28, 1917
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Attached to the 3rd CCD (Canadian
Convalescent Depot) at St. Leonard’s for therapy in order to continue his recovery
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Mar 10, 1917
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On the reorganization of the holding units in
England, Private Hill was transferred to the EORD (Eastern Ontario Regimental Depot) for
pay purposes while in hospital
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Apr 12, 1917
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Discharged from St. Leonard’s and posted to
the 6th Reserve Battalion in Seaford
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May 17, 1917
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Transferred to the 21st Battalion
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May 18, 1917
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Arrived at the CBD in
France and TOS the 21st Battalion
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Jun 4, 1917
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After leaving the CBD he joined the 2nd
Canadian Entrenching Battalion in Hersin
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Jun 12, 1917
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Left the entrenching battalion and rejoined the
21st Battalion in billets in Coupigny carrying out training exercises
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Nov 3, 1917
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During the night of November 2-3, the 21st
Battalion moved into the Passchendaele front lines and immediately came under attack from
the Germans. The following night, November
3-4 there were additional barrages from the enemy. It
was during this second night in the line that Private Hill was killed. He was buried in a nearby field, but when the war
ended his body could not be located for burial in a proper cemetery. As a result he is commemorated on the walls of the
Menin Gate in Ypres, Belgium for those allied soldiers killed in Belgium with no known
Grave.
Following the war the British War Medal, Victory
Medal, Plaque (Dead Man’s Penny), Scroll and Memorial Cross were sent to his widow,
Mrs. R.A.L. Hill, Bobcaygeon, Ontario
A second Memorial Cross was sent to his mother,
Mrs. Susan Hill, at the same address
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Private Hill is honoured on a plaque in the Bobcaygeon, Ontario War
Memorial
Note the given names are reversed on the memorial
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