HILL, Thomas F

Thomas Hill attended Oldswinford C of E School and after his marriage to Alice lived in Lion Street, Stourbridge. He was a stoker at Stourbridge Gas Works for 16 years before the war. He volunteered for the Worcesters and was posted to the 10th (Service) Battalion in the 19th Division. They arrived in France in mid-Summer 1915 and were in reserve for the battle of Loos from 25th September to 13th October. They were close to the action but not called into the front line. They remained near Richebourg and Festubert in November during a period of unpleasant weather conditions. Sporadic shelling, however, was always a danger and on the 19th November Private Thomas Hill was seriously wounded in the spine. He was sent to the military hospital at St. Omer but died ten days later. He was 35 years of age and left a widow and a ten year old daughter. He is buried at Longuenesse Souvenir Military Cemetery (3 A 17) and commemorated on the Stourbridge, St. Thomas's church and Oldswinford C of E School Memorials.