No.40676, Private, Thomas HILL
Aged 39
Thomas Hill was born in Brinkley in 29th July 1878 (German records)(Newmarket Q4-1878 3B:536), baptised Brinkley 27th October 1878, son of Richard Thomas and Kezia Ann HILL
(née HART).
1881 census...Aged 2, he was at The Street, Brinkley, with his father Richard Thomas HILL [47] a farmer; his mother Kezia Ann [37]; brothers George [8] and William R [10 months] and sisters Catherine [6] and Mary [4]. The whole family were born in Brinkley. 1891 census...Aged 12, he was at The Street, Brinkley with his widowed mother and brother William R. His father had died in 1889 1901 census...Aged 22, he was single, a butcher, lodging with Harry Tilbrook (butcher) and his wife Alice Tilbrook in Great Thurlow. His mother and sister Mary were still in Brinkley. 1911 census...Aged 32, single, a butcher, he was at 1 Myrtle Cottages, East Barnet Road, New Barnet, lodging with George and Violet Lines. The pension card has his mother still in Brinkley. |
Enlisted in Newmarket. The 7th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment, the Reserve Battalion of the 35th Brigade, were in the Gonnelieu area late November, early December 1917. They were overwhelmed in Cheshire Quarry by a German counter attack on 30th November. Some German documentation, available on line from the International Red Cross tells us he was found by the Germans and died from a gun shot wound to the shoulder at a German military hospital at Le Cateau . Enquiries had been made by Mr Hearn, St James School, Spilsby, Lincolnshire. He was buried in Le Cateau by the Germans |
photo: Rodney Gibson
click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details