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SSFR - Southend Great War Trail
Name:
Paul James Hilleard
Service or Civilian:
12th Btln (The Rangers), London Regiment
Rank or Occupation:
Rifleman
Birth Details:
Southwark, London, 1894
Location:
17 Winter Avenue Southchurch Beach Southend-On-Sea
Known Relatives:
James Hilleard, Father
Eva Hilleard, Mother
Eva Hilleard, Step Sister
John Hilleard, Brother
James Hilleard, Grandfather
Charlotte Hilleard, Grandmother
Death Details:
Killed in action, 24th April 1915, Flanders.
Burial Location:
No known grave, see Additional Details for reference to field burial. Remembered at Ypres Menin Gate.
Southend Connection:
Pupil at Southend High School for Boys
Story Summary:
Paul James Hilleard was born in Southward, London in 1894 to James and Eva Hilleard. The extended family lived at 84 Alvey Street, Southwark. James was a Solicitor's Clerk and Eva was an Employment Agent. Paul's Grandfather, James Hilleard was a retired Greengrocer.
The Hilleard family is recorded at 17 Winter Avenue Southchurch Beach in the 1911 census.
Paul was a pupil at Southend High School for Boys and was a keen cricketer playing for Essex County 2nd 11 and Wickford 1st.
Before the Great War Paul was a company clerk and soon after the outbreak of war he joined the 12th Battalion of the London Regiment as a Rifleman.
Paul's regiment took part in the 2nd Battle of Ypres and Paul was killed early in this battle on 24th April 1915.
Additional Details:
An excerpt from Menin Gate South: In Memory and In Mourning by Paul Chapman
In a letter to Paul's family a comrade wrote,"A machine gun played upon us apart from shrapnel and shell fire above and Paul fell saying 'Arthur I'm hit!' I was ordered to go with the rest, but ran back to pull him into a less dangerous spot. To our delight we found the bullets had merely grazed the skin, and got just through the edge of his right-hand trouser pocket! Consequently we both caught up our company and took possession of an empty trench, only to find the Germans creeping along it from our left. They got another wretched machine gun to play, enfilade fashion, upon us and poor Paul was shot through the eye. He died instantly without any pain whatsoever. We cleared out the enemy with the help of the Suffolk's but had to relinquish the position at midnight, owing to insufficient men (38 out of well over 100). There was just time however to see to burying and we laid your son to rest, together with many other poor 'Ranger.'"
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