Second Lieutenant William Alexander Hill
William Alexander Hill was born on 8 June 1892 at Ballyrenan, Newtownstewart, County Tyrone, the first of four children of farmer Thomas Hill and his wife Rebecca Jane (nee Fyffe). His mother died when he was just nine years old and soon after, his father remarried. Educated at Newtownstewart Model School, from 1908 he served a four-year apprenticeship as a warehouseman at Wilson Brothers of Newtownstewart. In 1911 he was living with his family at Aghasessy, Ardstraw, County Tyrone.
Hill enlisted in the North Irish Horse at Antrim on 26 May 1915 (No.1630 – later Corps of Hussars No.71479). He was promoted to corporal on 21 March 1916 and Signaller-Sergeant on 15 May that year. On 10 August he embarked for France, where he was posted to one of the squadrons of the 1st North Irish Horse Regiment.
Hill remained with the regiment in France and Belgium until the end of 1917. On 2 December he applied for a commission in the infantry, with a preference for the King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry. Three weeks later he embarked for the UK where, after a period of leave, on 8 February 1918 he reported for duty at No.7 Officer Cadet Battalion at Fermoy. On 26 June 1918 he was commissioned as a 2nd lieutenant and posted to the 3rd (Reserve) Battalion, Leinster Regiment.
On 4 September he embarked for France. Although posted to the Leinster Regiment's 2nd Battalion for administrative purposes, Hill was attached to the 3rd Battalion, London Regiment, joining it in the field during October. He probably saw action with the battalion during the last weeks of the war during the Advance to Victory offensive. He is mentioned in the battalion's war diary, but only after the Armistice. On 23 November 1918 at Basecles in Belgium:
A Battalion Paper-Chase was carried out during the morning over a circular course of approx. 4 miles. (Hares:- Lieut. M.H.G. Middlemiss, L/Cpl Guymer, - Huntsmen:- Lt-Col J.A. Pollock, DSO – Whippers-In:- Capt. C.E. Mee, 2nd Lt. W.A. Hill).
He played the role of 'hare' in another chase on 3 December.
Hill left the battalion with a dispersal draft of three officers and 29 other ranks on 30 March 1919. He was demobilised six days later. He relinquished his commission on 1 September 1921.