Birth

Enlistment Information

Military Service

Embarkation Information

Military Awards

Death

Biographical Notes

Reginald Bernard Hill was born on 2 March 1887 at Hook Bush near Makikihi, South Canterbury, the eldest son of Gerald Bernard and Lucy (née Lough) Hill. He was educated at the Marist Brothers School, where he met with considerable success – first in Standard VI general proficiency and the arithmetic prize in 1900; second in Standard VII general proficiency and the arithmetic prize in 1901; Archbishop’s gold medal for first in general proficiency and subject prizes in 1902. The following year at St Patrick’s College, Wellington, he was awarded a gold medal and three subject prizes. Further success followed in 1904. In 1909 his success was at university (Victoria College), where he was to gain his LL.B. degree.

He was a barrister and solicitor in the employ of' Fullerton-Smith, Miles and Cook, solicitors, Marton, when he enlisted on 19 August 1914 at Wanganui and subsequently on 20 December 1914 at Trentham. He had served with the St Patrick’s College Cadets for two years. Single and Roman Catholic, he named his father as next-of-kin – Gerald Bernard Hill, Government Life Insurance Department, Christchurch. Private R. B. Hill embarked with the Wellington Infantry Battalion of the 3rd Reinforcements, departing from Wellington for Suez, Egypt, on 14 February 1915. He was a member of the original landing party at Gaba Tepe on 25 April 1915 and was shot in the left knee in the attack on Achi Baba on May 8 following. He was in hospital in Malta, but rejoined his unit in October and returned to Gallipoli and was present at the evacuation. 10/1527 Private Reginald Hill arrived home, invalided, on 24 September 1917. He was discharged on 20 November 1917, no longer fit for service on account of his wounds. He was awarded the 1914-1915 Star, the British War Medal and the Victory Medal for his service in all theatres of war.

On 30 July 1918 at St. Mary’s Church, Christchurch, Reginald Bernard Hill married Ida Barbara Moran, youngest daughter of Mrs Moran, of Masterton. In the mid-1920s, they appear to have gone their separate ways. Sadly, some years later, Reginald Bernard Hill fell from grace, being struck off the roll of practising solicitors for repeat drinking offences. Reginald Bernard Hill died on 4 January 1947 at Auckland, aged 59 years, and was buried in the service persons section of Waikumete Cemetery.

Sources

Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph Database [25 August 2023]; NZ Mail, 27 December 1900, 24 December 1901, 24 December 1902, 28 December 1904, Evening Post, 17 December 1903, 15 April 1909, 8 April 1914, Lyttelton Times, 5 August 1916, Sun, 25 September 1917, Wairarapa Age, 26 August 1918 (Papers Past) [27 August 2023]; Waikumete Cemetery burial record (Auckland Council) [27 August 2023]; Waikumete Cemetery headstone transcription [27 August 2023]

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

Not assigned.