Clement Edward HILL

Badge Number: S25834, Sub Branch: Mt Gambier
S25834

HILL, Clement Edward

Service Number: 1457
Enlisted: 24 May 1915, Adelaide, South Australia
Last Rank: Private
Last Unit: 3rd Light Horse Regiment
Born: Adealide, South Australia, 5 January 1896
Home Town: Parkside, Unley, South Australia
Schooling: Not yet discovered
Occupation: Motor mechanic
Died: Natural causes, South Australia, 19 July 1964, aged 68 years
Cemetery: Not yet discovered
Memorials: The Motor Cycle Club of SA Honour Roll, Unley Town Hall WW1 Honour Board
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World War 1 Service

24 May 1915: Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 1457, 3rd Light Horse Regiment, Adelaide, South Australia
27 Oct 1915: Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 1457, 3rd Light Horse Regiment, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '1' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Benalla embarkation_ship_number: A24 public_note: ''
27 Oct 1915: Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 1457, 3rd Light Horse Regiment, HMAT Benalla, Adelaide
14 Feb 1917: Discharged AIF WW1, Private, 1457, 3rd Light Horse Regiment
11 Nov 1918: Involvement Private, 1457

Help us honour Clement Edward Hill's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.

Biography contributed by Evan Evans

From WW1 Colourised Photos

Nº.1457 Sergeant Clement Edward Hill, 3rd. Light Horse Regiment (born in Adelaide 5th January 1896, enlisted 24th May 1915, returned to Australia 1916)

The 3rd Light Horse Regiment was raised in Adelaide on 17 August 1914. Although most of its recruits were enlisted in South Australia, one of the regiment’s three squadrons was composed of Tasmanians and was raised and trained in Hobart. The two components sailed from their home ports in late October 1914 and arrived in Egypt in the second week of December. Here, they joined the 1st and 2nd Regiments to form the 1st Light Horse Brigade.

The 1st Light Horse Brigade deployed to Gallipoli without its horses and landed there on 12 May 1915, joining the New Zealand and Australian Division. The 3rd Light Horse played a defensive role throughout the campaign and was in reserve when its sister regiments attacked as part of the August offensive. It left Gallipoli on 14 December 1915.

Back in Egypt, the 3rd Light Horse joined the ANZAC Mounted Division. Between January and May 1916, the regiment was deployed to protect the Nile valley from bands of pro-Turkish Senussi Arabs. On 18 May, as part of its parent brigade, it joined the forces defending the Suez Canal. The 1st Light Horse Brigade played a significant role in turning back the Turkish advance on the canal at the battle of Romani on 4 August. In ensuing days the regiments of the brigade participated in the immediate follow-up of the defeated Turks, but were soon withdrawn to rest.

The 3rd Light Horse rejoined the Allied advance across the Sinai in November and was subsequently involved in the fighting to secure the Turkish outposts on the Palestine frontier - Maghdaba on 23 December 1916 and Rafa on 9 January 1917. A stint of protective duty along the line of communications through the Sinai followed. The 3rd’s next major engagement was the abortive second battle of Gaza on 19 April. Gaza finally fell on 7 November, after a wide outflanking move via Beersheba, in which the 1st Light Horse Brigade played a part.

With the capture of Gaza, the Turkish position in southern Palestine collapsed. The 3rd Light Horse Regiment participated in the advance to Jaffa that followed, and was then committed to operations to clear and occupy the west bank of the Jordan River. It was involved in the Amman (24-27 February) and Es Salt (30 April-4 May) raids and the repulse of a major German and Turkish attack on 14 July 1918.

The final British offensive of the campaign was launched along the Mediterranean coast on 19 September 1918, with the ANZAC Mounted Division taking part in a subsidiary effort east of the Jordan aimed at Amman. Turkey surrendered on 30 October 1918. The 3rd Light Horse Regiment sailed for Australia on 16 March 1919 without their horses, which were either shot or transferred to Indian cavalry units.

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