Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Private Percival John Hill was born in Mount Gambier on the 8th April 1899. He was one of six children of Bennett James Hill and Sarah Lydia Hill.

Percival Hill’s parents lived in Mount Gambier where they operated “Hill Bros Tannery” and later the Mount Gambier Tannery. Percival’s father was also a lay preacher for the Mount Gambier Baptist Church.

The family moved to Kalangadoo approximately 1907 where Percival’s father ran the Tannery and Boot shop which was located in the main street.

The Kalangadoo Methodist Church had staunch supporters in the Hill family, all doing their best to further the interests of the Church. This was apparent throughout Percivals life.

Percival attended the Kalangadoo Public School from 1908 until 1911.

Edgar and James (known as Lloyd),Percival’s brothers paid for him to go to Naracoorte High School. Upon completion of high school he won a bursary scholarship of sixty pounds which enabled him to move to Adelaide to pursue his teaching qualifications.

He was a keen rower and was part of the Adelaide High School Rowing Club. Percival also had a love for music which was a big part of his life.

Percival returned to Naracoorte as a Junior Teacher in 1914 prior to joining the Adelaide Teachers Unit in 1918.

On the 24th May 1918 Percival John Hill enlisted in Mount Gambier as a Private with the 4th General Reinforcements. The unit embarked from Adelaide aboard the SS Gaika on the 6th August 1918.

Entries in Private Hill’s diaries stated that he lost his kit bag for the first week. They had cold showers every morning which were refreshing with the fresh water cut off at 10am. The cook house was the ‘unhealthiest place’, where they had six meals a day, three down and three up.

The unit held church services every day. Private Hill commented on the spirit of comradeship whilst on the ship. It worried him that it only had twelve life boats to cater for its passengers if anything happened. He frequently commented about his concerns for the others on board, and formed Bible circles.

His diaries also mentioned that the battalion had lectures every day as the boat got closer to England. One lecture explaining submarine warfare, and how a lighted match can be seen three miles away, a cigarette one mile away, whilst a porthole light could be seen at eight miles.

Private Hill disembarked in London on the 13th October 1918 and transferred to the 43rd Battalion, They marched from Manchester, Birmingham and Bristol and billeted to Fovant under the 9th Training Battalion.

Whilst waiting to go to France the unit continued their training, doing a lot of marching and fixing up huts for the soldiers coming back from France.

Much to Private Hill’s disappointment (going by his diary entries) Percival did not go on to fight in France due to the cessation of hostilities.

He returned to Australia per the Kildonian Castle on the 21st March 1919, disembarking at Adelaide on the 4th May 1919 and being discharged on the 7th May 1919.

His total service was 363 days with 275 days served abroad.

Private Hill was awarded the following war medal

The British War Medal

Percival Hill returned to university after the war, where he became involved with the group Cooni-ites. He left University to serve as a Missionary in India for approximately forty seven years.

Percival returned to Adelaide in 1976 after becoming ill.

Percival John Hill died on the 29th March 1977 and is interred at the Enfield Cemetery.