Capt Arthur de Bells Adam (MC)
1885 - 1916

CPL David Wallace Crawford
1887 - 1916

Lce-Corpl John Joseph Nickle
1894 - 1916

Pte 17911 Morton Neill
1897 - 1916

Lieut Edward Stanley Ashcroft
1883 - 1918

Pte 33081 John Henry Hill

Age: 22
From: Liverpool
Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 19th Btn
D.O.W Saturday 23rd March 1918
Commemorated at: St Souplet Brit Cem
Panel Ref: I.H.11

John Henry Hill was born on the 24th April 1896, the son of George Hill and his wife Fanny (née Barkley) who were both born in Liverpool and were married on the 28th March 1886 at St Augustine's Church, Everton. George was a 23 year old warehouse keeper of Everton, his father, Peter, was a bandmaster, whilst Fanny was aged 22 of Everton, her father, George, was a coachman.

John was baptised on the 17th June 1896 at Christ Church, Liverpool, his father a cotton porter of 213 Victoria Square.

The 1901 shows the family living at 29 Desmond Street, Everton, Liverpool. John's father, George, is aged 39, born in Liverpool in 1862 and is a cotton porter, his mother, Fanny, is aged 41, born in Liverpool in 1860 with no occupation listed. At the time of the Census they have six children living with them, Walter aged 14, born 1887 is a shop boy for a grocer, Edith aged 12, born 1889, George aged 10, born 1891, William Henry aged 9, born 1892, John Henry aged 5, born 1896 and Peter aged 3, born 1898. Their children were all born in Liverpool. They also have a boarder named Sarah Cain aged 39, born 1862 in Liverpool and she is a tailoress.

In 1911 his parents are living in 31 Desmond Street. Their ages are both given incorrectly as 40 (they would have been about 50). His father is still a cotton porter. They advise that they have been married for 25 years and have had seven children one of whom has died. Also in the household is married daughter Edith Brewis, 23, and her husband Richard Brewis, 24, a cab driver.

John is found in School Lane, Melling, living with his widowed aunt Jane Rawlinson 60, his cousin Jane Ann Shacklady (née Hill), 28, also widowed, his aunt’s mother, Ellen Brown, 83, a widow, a boarder, and a nurse child, William O’Connor, 6. John is 15, working as a farm labourer.

His father died in September 1915, aged 54.

Before enlisting he was employed by Joseph Hunter and Sons, Drapers, 111-113 Islington.

John enlisted in Liverpool joining the 17th Battalion and was later transferred to the 19th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment as Private 33081.

The amount of the War Gratuity suggests he served just under two years, enlisting in about April 1916.

John was captured by the Germans, having suffered a stomach wound, and died of his injuries in a field hospital at St. Quentin aged 22. He was buried in the hospital graveyard, Champs Elysees, St. Quentin, in mass grave no.3.

CWGC shows that he was later identified as buried in mass grave no.3 in the military cemetery, in what the Allies called, Faubourg St. Martin (Extension). His body was exhumed and reburied by the French Civil Authorities, and he was laid to rest in St. Souplet British Cemetery.

St. Souplet village was captured by the American 30th Division on the 10th October 1918. The American troops made a cemetery of 371 American and seven British graves on the South-West side of the village, on the road to Vaux-Andigny. A smaller British cemetery was made alongside. The American graves were removed after the Armistice and the seven British graves were moved into the British cemetery. Further British graves were brought in from the surrounding battlefields and the following smaller burial grounds. There are now nearly 750, 1914-18 war casualties commemorated in this site. Of these, one-fifth are unidentified and special memorials are erected to 55 soldiers from the United Kingdom, buried in other cemeteries, whose graves could not be found. The cemetery covers an area of 2,504 square metres and is enclosed by a stone rubble wall.

John’s name was published in the list of Missing in the Weekly Casualty List on 4th June 1918.

His death was reported in the Liverpool Weekly Courier on Saturday 26 October 1918;

Pte J. Hill, K.L.R., reported missing from March 23, is now officially reported died of wounds on that date, after two years in France. Before joining up he was employed by Hunter and Sons, Islington, and resided with his widowed mother widowed at 31 Desmond Street.

He earned his two medals.

His mother Fanny received his Army Pay, 2 payments of £16 1d + 14s 11d, and a War Gratuity of £10-10s.

The pension card in the name of both his mother, at 31 Desmond Street, and his sister, Mrs. Edith Brewis, at 37 Desmond Street, Everton Road, Liverpool shows a pension was awarded.

On the 1921 Census at Desmond St, widowed mother Fanny is aged 57, and is living with son Peter 23, and married son George, 30, and family.

His mother appears to have died, aged 66, in 1928.

We currently have no further information on John Henry Hill. If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.

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