---

 

In memoriam

Private William Hillocks

 

 

William Hillocks (or Hillicks) was born on 14 April 1892 at Derryaghy, Dunmurry, County Antrim, the last of nine children of linen beetler James Hillocks and his wife Elizabeth (nee Patterson). His mother died when he just 5 years old.

By 1911 he was living with his father and two of his sisters at Lambeg, Derryaghy and working as a dye house hand.

Hillocks enlisted in the North Irish Horse at Antrim in May 1917 (No.2442 - later Corps of Hussars No.71830). Soon after his marriage to Sarah Edgar on 25 December that year he was sent to France, where he was posted to the 1st North Irish Horse Regiment.

In February-March 1918 the 1st NIH was dismounted and converted to a corps cyclist regiment. This left around a quarter of its officers and men surplus to requirements. Many were attached to regular cavalry units. Hillocks was attached to the 6th Dragoon Guards (Carabiniers) and was posted to the Cavalry Base Depot at Rouen.

Later that year he fell ill with pneumonia. He died on 10 November 1918, the day before the Armistice was signed. His wife Sarah had given birth to a son, William, just three weeks earlier.

Private Hillocks was buried at Mont Huon Military Cemetery, Le Treport, Seine-Maritime, France, Grave VIII.O.9B. His gravestone inscription reads:

71830 PRIVATE
W. HILLOCKS
NORTH IRISH HORSE
10TH NOVEMBER 1918

 

 

Image 1 kindly provided by Steve Rogers, Project Co-ordinator of the The War Graves Photographic Project, www.twgpp.org. Image 2 kindly provided by William Gordon.