No.14272, Corporal, Hills TURNER
Aged 23
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Hill Turner was born in Halifax, Yorkshire in 1894 (Halifax Q4-1894 9A:382), son of Mark and Sarah TURNER (née BATES ).
1901 census...Aged 6 , he was at West Lane Farm, Southowram, Yorkshire with his father Mark TURNER [47] a farmer born in Isleham; his mother Sarah [44] born in Sutton, Lincs; brothers Mark [23] cotton twiner, Jonathan [20] cattle man on farm, Charles G. [15] brickyard labourer, Richard [14] carter on farm, and Albert [11]; sister Mercy [9] all these children were born in Saltburn. Sister Ida [1] and brother David [5 months] was born in Southowram. 1911 census...Aged 16, a farm labourer, he was at Isleham Ferry with his parents, brothers Richard, Albert and David, and sister Ida. Of 18 children born by Sarah, 7 had died. |
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Enlisted in Newmarket. His service records have not been found however Lt Col. Murphy's "History of the Suffolk Regiment" tells us that the 2nd Suffolks assembled on the night of 29/30th ready for an attack on the villages of Ecoust St Mein and Noreuil. At dawn on 30th the village of Ecoust was taken easily, but they could not maintain that advanced position and fell back after 6 hours. Several men were after awarded gallantry medals. From casualties of over 200, the 2nd Suffolks had 51 killed on 30th, 7 have no known grave, 3 are buried elsewhere, but 37 are resting in Ecoust St Mein British Cemetery and 4 in the HAC Cemetery in the same village. |
photo: Rodney Gibson
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