205779 Pte. Henry Hill British Army 2/7th Btn. Royal Warwickshires from:Henley-on-Thames I have various items relating to my Dad's service in WW1, including his Pay Book, Lifetime Pension papers, photographs and medals.
I took this 'memorabilia' to the Royal Warwickshire's Museum and the Superintendent there was able to give me some fascinating details about my Dad.
First of all - photographs. One shows him sitting with a group of other soldiers, nearly all with different cap badges. I know that because some of the battalions were decimated, regiments were made up from survivors of other units.
Secondly, Dad has 3 stripes on the lower part of his sleeve. I was told, no it didn't indicate his rank, it indicated that he had been wounded 3 times. Well, the words '3rd time B.E.F' are written in the front of his paybook. The date of his Attestation is written as 18.10.15 (age 18).
His Pension papers show 'Gunshot Wound to the Head' and Neurasthenia. An attempt had been made to delete the latter word!
Two puzzles. 1). Why only 1 payment made - One shilling and fourpence, dated 2.4.1918 in his Pay Book? The Station is Horton Hutments, and 2) it is in regard to a badge found in the same box as his 2 WW1 medals. It has 'On War Service - 1916' and shows 3 cannon. Was he in munitions for a time? His vaccinations show Feb 1916 and TAB 1.3.1918.
I know that Horton Hutments was in Northumberland (Newcastle). He married my mother in 1919 - she came from Newcastle.
Like many other ex-soldiers, D ad never talked about his war experiences. He briefly mentioned 'Wipers' - Ypres - and Amiens, but that is all. (A programme featuring those two battles happened to be being shown on TV at the time). He walked out of the room, clearly upset.
His war record was destroyed along with a lot of others during WW2 bombing. Such a pity.He died on 2.2.1969 aged 72.
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