Horace HILL

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HILL, Horace

Service Number:	1970
Enlisted:	Not yet discovered
Last Rank:	Driver
Last Unit:	9th Light Horse Regiment
Born:	Not yet discovered
Home Town:	Not yet discovered
Schooling:	Not yet discovered
Occupation:	Not yet discovered
Memorials:	Burra District WW1 Honor Roll, Burra Loyal Burra Lodge Court Unity AOF No 3015 WW1 Roll of Honor

World War 1 Service

16 Mar 1916:	Involvement Private, 1970, 9th Light Horse Regiment, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '2' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Anchises embarkation_ship_number: A68 public_note: ''
16 Mar 1916:	Embarked Private, 1970, 9th Light Horse Regiment, HMAT Anchises, Adelaide
11 Nov 1918:	Involvement Driver, 1970

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

Biography contributed

Completed by University Senior College

Private Horace Hill (Figure 1), fourth son of Mary White and Richard Hill of Kooringa, Burra, was a serviceman in the 9th Light Horse Regiment during World War One.[1] He served for four years, from 1st November 1915 to 27th August 1919. Hill fought in numerous battles during the Sinai and Palestine campaign, whilst battling a series of illnesses. He enlisted at age 21 years and 2 months; he was born on 11th August 1894.[2]

Before enlisting in the war, Hill was a dedicated athlete. As reflected on his Family tree (Figure 2), he had four brothers, George, Charles, Ben, and Sam and one sister, J Quinn. Two of his brothers also fought in the war, however, they fought in different battalions, and both lost their lives during their service. [3]

War involvement
Before Hill enlisted, the 3rd and 9th Light Horse Regiment originally embarked for further training in England but were ordered to dock in Egypt and finish training at the training camp in Tel-El-Kibir, Egypt due to overcrowding and seasonal factors in the Northern Hemisphere.[4]

These regiments were sent to battle in the Gallipoli campaign and the Sinai and Palestine Campaign. [5] [6] They were initially deemed unsuitable for the battle of Gallipoli but were later sent into battle without their horses, landing in May 1915. The 9th Regiment, however, were put on reserve, while the 3rd Regiment lost approximately half their soldiers to the tragic attack on “the Nek” on 7th August 1915. [7]

Hill enlisted in Adelaide, South Australia, under the service number 1970. He joined the 9th Light Horse Regiment on November 1st 1915, at the age of 21. [8] He was appointed to the base Light Horse unit, and was sent to “exhibition camp”, a pre-war unit in South Australia [9]

Hill arrived in Egypt and reported for duty on 22nd March 1916, joining the 9th Light Horse Regiment (Figure 3) as part of the 15th reinforcement group with the 3rd Light Horse Regiment.[10] Hill embarked on the HMAT “Anchise” A68 (Figure 4) from Adelaide, South Australia serving in the 31st Infantry.[11]

He began training in Tel-El-Kibir, Egypt Australian Army Training Camp (Figure 5), North Northeast of Cairo[12]. Shortly after Hill’s arrival, his regiment was involved in the advance following the Turks retreat across the desert.[13]

According to the National Archives of Australia, Hill’s service records state that he was in and out of hospitals frequently. His first visit occurred when he was “sick to hospital” in Moascar, Egypt on 9th October 1916. He was admitted into hospital and diagnosed with Venereal Disease Gonorrhea (VDG).[14] Shortly after, he was transferred to the Australian General Hospital in Abbassia on the outskirts of Cairo[15] on 13th October. After battling his illness and receiving treatment at the hospital in, he was transferred back to Moascar on October 15th. Records suggest he did not yet return to duty, and was later readmitted to hospital in Abbassia, likely for his medical examination to decipher whether he was fit to return to duty. He returned as part of the 3rd Light Horse Regiment in Moascar on 30th November 1916. [16]

When the advances in the Sinai and Palestine Campaign reached the Palestine frontier, the 9th Regiment focused on securing Turkish outposts in Magdhaba in December 1916. While Hill’s Regiment, which was now integrated with the Imperial Mounted division and focused on two battles aiming to capture Gaza directly between 27 March and 19 April 1917. However, both of these battles eventually failed.[17]

Hill’s wellness was short lived as he was “sick in Hospital” on 7th January 1917 and was admitted to the first Australian Stationary Hospital (figure 6) [18] for conjunctivitis in Ismailia, Egypt. [19] He was later sent back to base before being admitted to the hospital in Abbassia and diagnosed with Chlamydia Trachoma.[20] Trachoma was a common eye infection first found in troops stationed in Egypt, hence how it got its name “Egyptian ophthalmia”. This eye infection can cause vison impairment and eye pain.[21] He quickly recovered, returning to duty in Moascar on 10th April[22], presumably joining his regiment partway through the battle of Gaza (27th March-19th April 1917). [23] After multiple later visits to the hospital, it was reported by the medical board that he had heart and eyesight trouble (his trachoma) in June 1917. [24]

Shortly after the fall of Gaza on November 17th, 1917, with the Turks position in Southern Palestine weakened, Hill’s regiment was involved in the Battle of Jerusalem, leading to the capture of Jerusalem in December 1917. [25]

On 20th March 1918, Hill was awarded 14 days of field punishment after being Absent Without Leave (AWOL) for three days. He was absent from camp from 21:30 17th March 1918 until 06:00 19th March 1918.[26] He was forced to forfeit 3 days of his pay to the Royal Warrant.[27] On 4th April 1918, service records suggest Horace was retransferred to the 9th Light Horse Regiment,[28] and was later part of the Es Salt raid in May 1918.

After months of uninterrupted service, Hill returned to hospital on July 13th and transferred between numerous unknown locations, before being diagnosed with Quartan fever (Malaria) at a hospital in Gaza, on 19th July 1918. He was later transferred to a hospital site in Kantara, Egypt, before being transferred to Cairo for further treatment. He stayed there until 9th August and was then transferred to a different region in Cairo, Egypt, Boulac, where he was discharged of his duties. He remained there until 25th August. On 21st August, he was medically classified as “D2”, granting him 6 weeks sabbatical to cover the amount of time he was off duty due to his illness. The medical ranking of D2 indicates that service load should be reduced; subsequently, Hill was moved from the 3rd Light Horse Regiment to the No. 5 M.R. Unit (Motor Regiment).[29] He was officially appointed Motor Transport Driver on 24th October 1918. Hill’s continuation in his service after being repeatedly unwell demonstrates his admirable ANZAC spirit through perseverance throughout his service.

He continued his light work as a Motor transport driver until he disembarked on the HMT “Burma” (figure 7) from Port Suez, Egypt for Australia, on 26th July 1919.[30] His ship was due to arrive in Adelaide on 27th August 1919[31] and he was later discharged on 20th October 1919.[32]

During his time in service, he was awarded three war commendations as shown in figure 8[33]. It was also noted he had “Taken on strength” during his time of service.[34] This is representative of his great courage and discipline throughout his service. Hill made many meaningful contributions to the army throughout his service as he was a disciplined and persistent serviceman. At the end of his service, he was awarded with medals for his service in the Australian Imperial Force, and the Light Horse Regiment (shown in figures 9, 10, and 11).

Life After war
When Hill returned from war, he married Myrtle Allen on 21st November 1921 and had three children, Melva, Barabra, and Robert. According to Hill’s obituary, he remained an active member of his local community. He was also an involved member of multiple community lodges, which has continued to remain a tradition for men in his family. He was also a strong supporter of community sport, being a former athlete himself, as well as being part of the local fire brigade. Additionally, he was a member of Ramsgate Returned Soldiers (RRS), and Airmen’s Imperial League of Australia (AILA).

Upon return, Hill continued to work in the motor industry, as well as working at a cable service at the local post office. He then worked as a chauffeur, before committing to his business as a general carrier, which he continued until death. Through his community contributions, Hill continued to show great mateship, even once returned from war. His obituary also states he, “had not an enemy in the town,” a testament to his mateship, as he was clearly an active member of the community, who had positive social influence.

However, his involvement in the war in Palestine had a substantial effect on Hill’s overall health. This is said to have led to his cause of death. Hill developed a cold that required close medical attention. His declined state of health from his illnesses at war caused him to develop a severe case of pneumonia. He eventually succumbed to his illness, and sadly passed on 3rd July 1941.[35]

[1] Horace HILL 2024, Virtual War Memorial Australia, viewed 3 September 2024, <https://vwma.org.au/explore/people/321990>.
[2] National Archives of Australia. NAA: B2455, HILL HORACE. (2024), Page 1.

https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=3012189&S=6&R=0
[3] First hand report from John Lewis, Obituaries from Burra Record, (August 7th, 2024)
[4]Genge 2023, Training Australian army recruits during World War I, Anzac Portal, viewed 4 September 2024, <https://anzacportal.dva.gov.au/wars-and-missions/ww1/military-organisation/training#:~:text=But%20military%20camps%20on%20the,during%20the%20Northern%20Hemisphere%20winter>.
[5] VWMA 3rd Light Horse Regiment 2024, Virtual War Memorial Australia, viewed 3 September 2024, <https://vwma.org.au/explore/units/180>.
[6] 9th Australian Light Horse Regiment 2024, Australian War Memorial, viewed 3 September 2024, <https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/U51043>.
[7] 9th Australian Light Horse Regiment 2024, Australian War Memorial, viewed 4 September 2024, <https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/U51043>.
[8] National Archives of Australia. NAA: B2455, HILL HORACE. (2024), Page 1.

https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=3012189&S=6&R=0
[9] National Archives of Australia. NAA: B2455, HILL HORACE. (2024), Page 3.

https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=3012189&S=6&R=0
[10] https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R2201284
[11]Horace Hill 2024, Australian War Memorial, viewed 4 September 2024, <https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R1962244?>.
[12] National Archives of Australia. NAA: B2455, HILL HORACE. (2024), Page 10.

https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=3012189&S=6&R=0
[13] 9th Australian Light Horse Regiment 2024, Australian War Memorial, viewed 4 September 2024, <https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/U51043>.
[14] National Archives of Australia. NAA: B2455, HILL HORACE. (2024), Page 10.

https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=3012189&S=6&R=0
[15] Courtyard, 14th Australian General Hospital, Abbassia 2024, Australian War Memorial, viewed 4 September 2024, <https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/ART02817>.
[16] National Archives of Australia. NAA: B2455, HILL HORACE. (2024), Page 10.

https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=3012189&S=6&R=0
[17] 9th Australian Light Horse Regiment 2024, Australian War Memorial, viewed 4 September 2024, <https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/U51043>.
[18] ISMAILIA, EGYPT, 1916. EXTERIOR VIEW OF 1ST AUSTRALIAN STATIONARY HOSPITAL, SET UP 1916-02-01 IN ... 2024, Australian War Memorial, viewed 4 September 2024, <https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C207010>.
[19] National Archives of Australia. NAA: B2455, HILL HORACE. (2024), Page 10.

https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=3012189&S=6&R=0
[20] National Archives of Australia. NAA: B2455, HILL HORACE. (2024), Page 10.

https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=3012189&S=6&R=0
[21] World 2022, Trachoma, World Health Organization: WHO, viewed 4 September 2024, <https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/trachoma>.
[22] National Archives of Australia. NAA: B2455, HILL HORACE. (2024), Page 10.

https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=3012189&S=6&R=0
[23] 9th Australian Light Horse Regiment 2024, Australian War Memorial, viewed 4 September 2024, <https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/U51043>.
[24] National Archives of Australia. NAA: B2455, HILL HORACE. (2024), Page 11.

https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=3012189&S=6&R=0
[25] 9th Australian Light Horse Regiment 2024, Australian War Memorial, viewed 4 September 2024, <https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/U51043>.
[26] National Archives of Australia. NAA: B2455, HILL HORACE. (2024), Page 11.

https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=3012189&S=6&R=0
[27] Glossary Views | Australian War Memorial 2024, viewed 4 September 2024, <https://www.awm.gov.au/learn/glossary/r>.
[28] National Archives of Australia. NAA: B2455, HILL HORACE. (2024), Page 11.

https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=3012189&S=6&R=0
[29] National Archives of Australia. NAA: B2455, HILL HORACE. (2024), Page 11.

https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=3012189&S=6&R=0
[30] National Archives of Australia. NAA: B2455, HILL HORACE. (2024), Page 11.

https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=3012189&S=6&R=0
[31] Burra Genealogy - Soldiers WW1 and Prior 2024, Burra SA, viewed 4 September 2024, <https://burrasa.info/pages/burrasoldiersww1.html>.
[32] National Archives of Australia. NAA: B2455, HILL HORACE. (2024), Page 15.

https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=3012189&S=6&R=0
[33] National Archives of Australia. NAA: B2455, HILL HORACE. (2024), Page 15.

https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=3012189&S=6&R=0
[34] National Archives of Australia. NAA: B2455, HILL HORACE. (2024), Page 12.

References
9th Australian Light Horse Regiment 2024, Australian War Memorial, viewed 3 September 2024, <https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/U51043>.

Burra Genealogy - Soldiers WW1 and Prior 2024, Burra SA, viewed 4 September 2024, <https://burrasa.info/pages/burrasoldiersww1.html>.

Courtyard, 14th Australian General Hospital, Abbassia 2024, Australian War Memorial, viewed 4 September 2024, <https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/ART02817>.

Department of Veterans' Affairs, 2023, Training Australian army recruits during World War I, DVA Anzac Portal, accessed 5 September 2024, <https://anzacportal.dva.gov.au/wars-and-missions/ww1/military-organisation/trainingTop of Form>

First hand report from John Lewis, Obituaries from Burra Record, (August 7th, 2024).

Glossary Views | Australian War Memorial 2024, viewed 4 September 2024, <https://www.awm.gov.au/learn/glossary/r>.

Group portrait of officers of the 9th Australian Light Horse Regiment. Identified from left to ... 2024, Australian War Memorial, viewed 5 September 2024, <https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/B00815>.

Horace HILL, 2024, Virtual War Memorial Australia, viewed 3 September 2024, <https://vwma.org.au/explore/people/321990>.

ISMAILIA, EGYPT, 1916. EXTERIOR VIEW OF 1ST AUSTRALIAN STATIONARY HOSPITAL, SET UP 1916-02-01 IN…, 2024, Australian War Memorial, viewed 4 September 2024, <https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C207010>.

Josiah Barnes collection of First World War negatives and prints, 2024, Australian War Memorial, viewed 5 September 2024, <https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/PB0095>.

National Archives of Australia. NAA: B2455, HILL HORACE. (2024).

<https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=3012189&S=6&R=0>

Screw Steamer BURMA built by William Denny & Bros in 1914 for British and Burmese S.N. Co. Ltd. & Burmah S.S. Co. Ltd. - P. Henderson & Co., Glasgow, Passenger / Cargo, 2024, Clyde Ships, viewed 5 September 2024, <https://www.clydeships.co.uk/view.php?ref=15503>.

Tel el Kebir, Egypt. c. 1916. The Australian Army training camp as seen from an area known as the ... n.d., https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/H12873

VWMA 3rd Light Horse Regiment, 2024, Virtual War Memorial Australia, viewed 3 September 2024, <https://vwma.org.au/explore/units/180>.

World Health Organisation, Trachoma, 2019, viewed 4 September 2024, <https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/trachoma>.

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