HAROLD ALEXANDER HILLMAN
Uniquely attributed to Harold Alexander Moore Hillman (note his 3rd name, which was omitted from his plaque)
Born Wallingford 1/2/1885
Son of Arthur Stock Hillman & Annie Marie Hillman of 12 Quadrant Rd Thornton Heath, Surrey
Educated at Croydon High School
Worked for the Law Guarantee & Trust Society as a Society Entertainer
Enlisted as 490, PTE in the Royal Fusiliers in September 1914
Commissioned 2nd Lieutenant, Yorkshire Regiment (The 'Green Howards') 27/11/14
To France in 1916 & was attached 7th YORKS.R.
KIA 1/7/16 on the First Day of the Somme
At 7.30am on 1st July 1916 the 7th Yorkshire Regiment were in front line trenches opposite Fricourt Village when battalions either side of them went over the top. The 7th Yorks were not due to assault until a 2nd Zero Hour at 2.30pm, but the officer commanding 'A' Company made an 'unfortunate mistake' and they assaulted at 7.45am. His men were raked by terrific machine gun fire as they went over the top and the company was virtually wiped out.
The remainder of 7th Yorkshire Regiment did attack at 2.30pm but were again mown down by murderous machine gun fire before they were across No Mans Land - 13 Officers & 300 men became casualties in just three minutes.
According to Jonathan Porter's excellent publication 'Zero Hour Z Day' (Volume Two, pp599-606) which includes a portrait of Lieut Hillman:
'As soon as the first wave was over the parapet, the second support wave mounted trench ladders and followed. In the centre, 30 year old Lieut Harold Alexander Moore Hillman was first on the parapet. As he shouted encouragement and orders to his platoon, he was struck in the head, falling instantly dead. Without hesitation, his men continued pouring into No-Man's-Land...'
For more details of the 7th Green Howards' 2.30pm attack on 1/7/16 - Click Here
In total the 7th Yorks.R. suffered 5 Officers KIA & 10 Officers wounded, plus 336 O/R casualties on 1/7/16
His was the first name painted on the original wooden battlefield memorial at Fricourt, commemorating the officers, NCOs & men of the 7th Yorkshire Regiment who were killed on 1st July 1916 and he is still recorded on the permanent stone Memorial Cross commemorating the 7th Green Howards which replaced it in Fricourt British Cemetery - see recent images
For details of the 7th Green Howards' Fricourt Memorial - Click Here
Buried in Dantzig Alley British Cemetery, Mametz, France
Also commemorated in North Park, Croydon (War Memorials Register WMR 790)
His Officers Papers exist at TNA but we have not checked them; Ref: WO 339/2148
With copy of his Medal Index Card, Officers Died & CWGC details plus a digital file of Newspaper reports & supporting research documentation
Condition: In original waxed card plaque case. With 2 brass prongs soldered onto the reverse, EF
