Ashtead War Memorials - WWI
Private Frank Reginald Hillier/Hillyer
1st Bn East Lancashire Regiment
Ashtead War Memorials - WWI
Private Frank Reginald Hillier/Hillyer
1st Bn East Lancashire Regiment
It is noted that in all records Frank Reginald had the surname HILLIER although on both the St George's and St Giles' War Memorials he is shown as Hillyer.
Frank Reginald Hillier died on 6th July 1915 and is buried in Talana Farm Cemetery, Ypres, Belgium, grave II. E. 34. He was 21 or 22 years old.
Soldiers who Died in the Great War records that he was born in and a resident of Leatherhead, and enlisted Kingston on Thames, Service No. 10340. He is one of the 22 names Ian Whitlock identified as having Leatherhead connections who are not named on war memorials in Leatherhead.
The East Lancs Regiment which landed at Le Havre on 22 August 1914. It subsequently fought in the Battles of Marne, Aisne and 2nd Ypres as part of 11th Brigade, 4th Division. Buried in Plot II, Rows E and F of Talana Farm Cemetery (CWGC) are a number of men of the 1st East Lancashire Regiment who died in a small, but successful attack on 6 July 1915. Information is being gathered on that action.
His Family
Frank Reginald Hillier was born in Leatherhead in 1894, one of the seven children of Wiltshire-born Charles Hiller and his wife Mary Brady (who married in the Epsom registration district in 1882).
Charles Hiller died in 1898 and the 1901 Census finds his widow Mary Hillier with five of her children (including 7-year old Frank Reginald) living with her brother-in-law, Edward Taylor, in one of the Model Cottages, near the Prince of Wales Beer House, Fairfield, Leatherhead.
Mary married a Henry Penfold later in 1901 and had one further Leatherhead-born child.
The 1911 Census has 18 year-old Frank already serving in the 1st East Lancashire Regiment, stationed at Inkerman Barracks, Knaphill, Woking.
Frank’s elder sister Lillian married William Longhurst in 1906 and in the 1911 Census Lillian and William Longhurst were living at 1 Felix Cottages, Crampshaw Lane, Ashtead and providing a home for three of Frank’s brothers and their Penfold step-sister. Frank’s brother Charles Hillier gave the Crampshaw Lane address when he enlisted in 1917.
text: Ann Williams & Brian Bouchard, with thanks to Ian Whitlock. If you can add to this page please contact the editor.
page added 28 Feb 2014: 28 Nov 17