Birth

Enlistment Information

Military Service

Embarkation Information

Military Awards

Death

Biographical Notes

Hugh Aloysius Hilary Dick, known simply as Hilary, was the youngest son of John Reid Dick, a wharf labourer, and his second wife, Mary Agnes née O’Donnell. Born on 13 January 1897 at Timaru, he was baptised in the Roman Catholic Parish there on 24 January 1897. Hilary was educated at the Marist Brothers School, Timaru, and maybe the Sacred Heart Boys’ School. John Reid Dick had married Catherine Gallen in 1897. They had six children before Catherine died at her Timaru residence in April 1887, not long after the death of their youngest (Robert). The following year John (of Scottish descent) married Mary Agnes O’Donnell (of Irish descent), by whom he had five children. Their son Francis died in 1898 at the age of nine and a daughter Ethel in 1896 at the age of 18 months.

Hilary was likely selected in the Celtic Football Club’s fourth grade team to play in May 1913. In January 1916, Hilary Dick was fined in the Timaru Magistrate’s Court for having set off crackers in Stafford Street on 31 December 1915.

In early May 1917, Hilary Dick, bus conductor, Queen Street, Timaru, was one of 505 names drawn in the seventh ballot to complete South Canterbury’s quota for the 31st Reinforcement. He was medically examined at Timaru on 18 May. Standing at 5 feet 4 inches and weighing 126 pounds, with a chest measurement of 31-32 inches, he had a fair complexion, grey eyes and brown hair. His sight, hearing, colour vision, heart and lungs were all normal, his limbs and chest well formed. While he was free from diseases and was vaccinated, he was not in good bodily and mental health, areurasthenia noted on 19 May. He was classified C2 (permanently unfit for active service but fit for service in New Zealand). He enlisted on 19 May 1917 at Timaru. Residing at home in Queen Street and employed as a bus conductor for Belford Mill (North Street, Timaru), he was single and Roman Catholic. His nominated next-of-kin was his mother – Mrs Mary Agnes Dick, Queen Street, Timaru.

When he was medically examined again a year later (29 May 1918), little had changed. His complexion was now dark and his hair dark brown. He had had no fits, no notification for consumption, and had never been under treatment in a sanatorium or mental institution. He did, however, have some slight defects but not sufficient to cause rejection. 19 months prior he had had a nervous breakdown and had been off work for 4 months. He had a history of nervous breakdown.

The largest draft of C1 men to leave Timaru for camp went by the afternoon express on 1 July 1918. Included in that draft was H. Dick. Though they received no official send-off a large number of friends gathered on the railway station to bid them farewell, and they were given a cheer as the train moved off. Posted to D Company C1, Private H. Dick was in Camp as of 3 July 1918. (C1 Camp was held at Tauherenikau in 1917-18 to bring the health of recruits up to the standard required for enlistment in the NZEF. Such recruits were likely to become fit for service overseas after special training.) His medical case sheet dated 8 July 1918 at Featherston recorded Neurasthenia (nervous breakdown two years ago) and that he complained of sore feet after marching. The Medical Board which was assembled at Featherston on 29 July 1918 noted Neurasthenia as his original disability. Consequently, he complained of cramps in legs. His progress was good. The Board recommended he be discharged from the Expeditionary Force, Fit A. On 9 August 1918, he was transferred from C1 Camp to the 45th Reinforcements then on 16 September to the 46th Reinforcements. Hilary Dick enlisted again on 29 October 1918 at Featherston. He belonged to, and was still on the Strength of, the 2nd (South Canterbury) Regiment. On 26 November 1918 he was granted leave without pay until further notice on Demobilization. H. Dick, 83774, was demobilized on 12 March 1919.

Between the wars, Hilary resided at Timaru with his parents and, after their deaths, with his sisters Josephine and Annie, working as a labourer and carter. A charge of failing to drive an express waggon round a street intersection on the left-hand side of the road was preferred against Hilary Dick in the Timaru Magistrate’s Court on 3 December 1925. He did not appear and was fined 10s and costs. At the court on 10 September 1936, several unemployed men were charged with having received sustenance in excess of the amounts to which they were entitled by making false statements. All except two were ordered to come up for sentence if called upon within six months and ordered to repay the amounts by 2s weekly. One of the men charged was Hilary Dick, his amount being 14shillings.

Come 18 November 1940, and Hilary Dick (378977) was again fronting up to serve. His name had been drawn in the second ballot for service in the Territorial Forces in early November. At Timaru on 23 March 1941, he required an operation for hydrocele and in-patient (28 days and convalescence). He was discharged from hospital on 31 May 1941. The doctor reported on 3 June that the scar was soundly healed but another week of convalescence was required. Hilary attested at Timaru on 18 November 1940. Medically examined that day, he was fit. His physical features differed little from 24 years earlier. He did suffer from dizzy turns at times. There was a faint scar on the inner side of his left arm. A left large hydrocele required attention. The Medical Board conducted a further examination at Timaru on 28 March 1941, treatment (operation) for the left hydrocele being recommended. He was medically examined at Timaru on 12 June 1941, then aged 44 years 151 days. His hydrocele had been radically cured but it was recommended that he be deferred for two weeks. Two weeks later there was still some tenderness, and after two more weeks (10 July 1941) when he was given leave without pay for six weeks. On 2 August 1941 he was assessed as quite fit, Grade I. He entered Wingatui Camp on 1 October 1941 and left there for Ashburton on 15 December 1941. While at Ashburton he was confined to barracks for 14 days and forfeited 4 days’ pay for absence without leave. His next-of-kin was his sister – Miss J. Dick (Josephine), 33 Heaton Street, Timaru, South Canterbury, that being also Hilary’s address. He was a labourer (unemployed), single and Roman Catholic. Private Hilary Dick, 2 Canterbury Regiment, provided a statement to the Medical Board at Ashburton on 19 March 1942. He complained of dizziness on occasions; headaches; painful scar at hydrocele site (left); pains in legs & feet, especially after marching. His disability began at Timaru in December 1939; the cause could not be stated. He underwent an operation for left hydrocele at Timaru Hospital on 5 May 1941 and was discharged in August. The doctor mentioned the Flu’ of 1918. He also noted a problem with both feet, tenderness in the calves of his legs, slight clawing of toes both feet, painful scar left inguina – scrotal area, poor co-ordination. “The soldier is unable to stand up to the strenuous military training at present required.” The diagnosis of his disability – postoperative tenderness; muscular rheumatism; deformity of feet; alcoholic. The results of the clinical examination – pyorrhoea; complains of pain and tenderness on marching; is feeble minded showing no proper sense of responsibility and slowness of understanding; gives very poor account of his condition. “His CO reports he is quite unteachable and a danger to the rest of the men in camp.” His present disableness would be permanent. He was permanently unfit for active service overseas or in NZ. He was assessed as Grade III, fit for labour. “He is feeble minded and mental defective; he is apt to get into trouble and is reported to be a danger to other men (in what way should be ascertained). He was granted leave with pay from 9 April 1942 to 13 April 1942. Medically reboarded as Grade III on 2 April 1942, he was then transferred to Home on 12 May. Hilary Dick was discharged at Wellington on 25 May 1942, having served for 162 days. When a Certificate of Discharge was issued on 27 February 1948, he was awarded the War Medal, 1939-45 and the NZ War Service Medal. On 31 March 1946 he was entitled to £5.5.4 War Services Gratuity.

Hilary Dick died at Timaru Hospital on 27 January 1952, aged 55 years. He was a labourer, residing at 29 Barnard Street where he lived with his sister Josephine. His funeral left the Sacred Heart Church for the Timaru Cemetery, where he was buried with his sister Elizabeth who had died in 1942. Two older half-brothers - Joseph Andrew Dick and James Alfred Dick – served in World War One, Joseph dying of wounds in Belgium on 17 December 1917 and James who may have suffered from lung disease from the war dying in 1936. His eldest half-brother, William John Dick, was listed on the World War One Reserve Rolls, an engine driver at Fairlie. Two nephews of Hilary (sons of his half-sisters) – Dick Bernard Sinclair (son of Ellen Elizabeth Dick) and Sherlock George Sauer (son of Mary Jane Dick) – served in World War Two. John Reid Dick died later on 25 December 1936 at his Timaru residence. Mary Agnes Reid died on 10 October 1939. John was survived by the three eldest of his six children of his first marriage; and by three of his five children of his second marriage, none of whom married.

Sources

NZ Defence Force Personnel Records (Archives NZ Ref. AABK 18805 W5922 0357433) [19 September 2017]; NZ BDM Indexes (Department of Internal Affairs) [2013, 2014]; Roman Catholic Baptisms Timaru (Christchurch Diocese CD held by South Canterbury Branch NZSG) [12 March 2017]; Timaru Cemetery headstone image & burial record (Timaru District Council) [15 September 2017]; School Admission records [2013; 2014]; NZ Electoral Rolls (ancestry.com.au) [2013; 15 September 2017]; Timaru Herald, 30 March 1887, 23 April 1887, 2 July 1898, 14 May 1913, 14 January 1916, 9 May 1917, 1 & 2 July 1918, 4 December 1925, 11 September 1936, 26 & 28 December 1936, 11 October 1939, 7 November 1940, Press, 11 September 1936, 7 November 1940 (Papers Past) [15 & 17 September 2017; 08 October 2021; 17 August 2022; 20 May 2026]

External Links

• Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph record
• Military personnel file

Related Documents

No documents available. 

Researched and Written by

Teresa Scott, SC Genealogy Society

Currently Assigned to

TS