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Remembered Today:

Captain Eustace Hill


hooge1

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Captain Eustace Hill a Padre of the South African Brigade was without doubt a very brave man he won the MC at the Butte de Warlencourt and lost his right hand in the process.

I have no idea when he died or where but he was back at Longueval and Delville Wood in 1919 identifying and burying the dead of his Brigade.

He was devoted to his men and deserves recognition i just wondered with the forums help we could build a picture of this mans life and ultimately his death and where he was buried.

Regards Nick

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Rev. Eustace St. Clair Hill

BA, Christ's Church, Oxford in 1895

Deacon in 1896

Priest in 1897

C. of Wrexham from 1896 to 1898

Chaplain of St Peter's Home, Grahmstn. from 1898-1899

Acting Chaplain of the Forces in South Africa from 1899-1901

Assistant Chaplain, Railway Missions, Naauwpoort from 1901 to 1904

Temporary Chaplain to the Forces from 1914-1919

Chaplain, S. African Exped. Force, German SW Africa, 1914

In 1915 served in Egypt (Senussi)

From 1916 to 1918 he served in France

Military Cross, London Gazette 1 January 1917

Prisoner of War from March to November 1918

Priest of Communion of the Resurrection from 1906

Assistant Master of St. John's College, City and Diosese of Johannesburg, 1906-1922

Head Master of St. John's College from 1922-1930

Sources: Crockford's Clerical Directory for the Year 1932; Oxford University Roll of Service, 1920.

Regards, Dick Flory

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A google search brings up some fascinating info including a fair bit of info on his Boer War service from an article in the journal of the South African Military History Society - and a flying travelog by a distant relative of his

http://honeymooney.com/africa/40%20-%20joh...rg/logbook.html

Hopefully someone in South Africa might be able to let you know when and where he died - it might be worth making contact with the librarian mentioned at St John's College

Good Luck

Sue

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. . . . numerous times in the book "Delville Wood" by Ian Uys . . .

And Pyramids and poppies by Peter Digby.

This is the commemoration service held in Delville Wood on 17th February 1918. Some esteemed historians are trying to trace the sixth cross.

Some of the other topics

http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/i...howtopic=102924

http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/i...howtopic=102066

http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/i...showtopic=94969

Carl

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Carl what exactly do you mean by the sixth cross?

Thanks people for the information and photos this forum is fantastic keep it going folks

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. . . the sixth cross? . . .

Nick

Major General Sir Henry "Tim" Lukin brought back timber from Delville Wood that was used to craft memorial crosses of which five are known but there has been mention of a sixth.

Two are at The Castle in Cape Town

One is at the Transvaal Scottish Museum

One at St John's College (where Father Hill was to become the headmaster)

One at Pietermaritzburg - this is the famous weeping cross that oozes sap near the anniversary of Delville Wood.

Carl

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Great photos Carl,

I never knew about the crosses from Delville wood, great stuff.

Regards Nick

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The Reverend Captain Eustace Hill MC at Delville Wood in 1919,searchind and identifying the South African dead for burial with Sister Flynn, whose brother Dudley Flynn was among the Dead. Did anyone write a book on Eustace Hill ?

post-35225-1217540403.jpg

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. . . Did anyone write a book on Eustace Hill ?

Nick

That would be really worth reading.

Have only seen the mentions in the various Uys books and Digby's book.

I will look for other references

Here is the school web site http://www.stjohnscollege.co.za/

No connection with the school but I did watch my son play cricket there as a contemporary of a certain G Smith.

Carl

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. . . Did anyone write a book on Eustace Hill ?

Nick

Have sent an email to Ian Uys asking for information on the Delville Wood Crosses and for references on Padre Hill.

Carl

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Nick

That would be really worth reading.

Have only seen the mentions in the various Uys books and Digby's book.

I will look for other references

Here is the school web site http://www.stjohnscollege.co.za/

No connection with the school but I did watch my son play cricket there as a contemporary of a certain G Smith.

Carl

Thanks Carl

A book on the man would be worth reading or writing if one could source enough information and had some literary qualities which at the moment i have neither.

Regards Nick

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  • 3 years later...

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