Charles Hill

1899 – 1918

Lance Corporal. Service N° 34574.

Originally joined the Royal Engineers 12 April 1917. Service N° 85698. Later served in the 8th battalion, Border Regiment Killed in action 19 April 1918.

Border Regiment

The Border Regiment, raised in Cumberland and Westmorland, played a significant role in the First World War. They fought on the Western Front, participating in the Battle of the Somme in 1916, where the 1st Battalion attacked near Thiepval Ridge. The regiment also served in the Gallipoli Campaign in 1915 and later in the Third Battle of Ypres in 1917. The Border Regiment was known for its steadfastness in trench warfare and its ability to hold defensive positions under intense pressure.

Meet the Family

Meteren Military Cemetery

Rue des 4 Fils Aymon, 59270 Méteren

British War Medal

The British War Medal was awarded to officers and men of British and Imperial Forces who either entered a theatre of war or served overseas between 5 August 1914 and 11 November 1918, with eligibility later extended to services in Russia, Siberia, and other areas in 1919 and 1920..

Approximately 6.5 million were struck in silver, and 110,000 in bronze for certain labour corps (e.g., Chinese, Maltese, and Indian). The medal weighs about one ounce, and its silver composition sometimes led to it being pawned or melted down for scrap value during tough economic times post-war. It was nicknamed “Squeak” when paired with the Victory Medal (“Wilfred”) in the popular trio.

Victory Medal

The Victory Medal, also known as the Inter-Allied Victory Medal, was awarded to all who received the 1914 Star or 1914-15 Star, and to most who received the British War Medal, for service in a theatre of war between 5 August 1914 and 11 November 1918..

It was extended to include mine clearance in the North Sea until 30 November 1919 and the Allied intervention in the Russian Civil War until 1 July 1920. Approximately 5.7 million were issued across the British Empire. Each Allied nation designed its own version, but all shared a common ribbon and the winged Victory figure on the obverse. It was nicknamed “Wilfred” in the “Pip, Squeak, and Wilfred” trio.