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Auction: 19001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 756

(x) Family group:

'There is no doubt that when an accident of this kind does occur, and a man loses his life, then he does just as much for his country as a man in the front line in Libya or elsewhere.'

An interesting group of four to Captain J. W. Hilliar, 4th Somerset (Frome) Battalion, Home Guard, late Machine Gun Corps and Royal Irish Regiment, who was killed by a rifle grenade at Emborough, near Wells, in August 1942

1914-15 Star (778 Cpl. J. W. Hilliar. R. Ir. Regt.); British War and Victory Medals (2. Lieut. J. W. Hilliar.); Defence Medal 1939-45, nearly extremely fine

Pair: Mrs Elsie L. Hilliar, British Red Cross

Defence Medal 1939-45, unnamed as issued; British Red Cross Society Medal for 3 Years of Service (33030), nearly extremely fine (6)

John 'Jack' William Hilliar was born in 1893 and was a 'splendid footballer' who turned out for Welton Rovers. He served at Gallipoli with the Royal Irish Regiment from 22 August 1915, and was Commissioned in January 1918 as 2nd Lieutenant, Machine Gun Corps. In 1921 he married Elsie Louisa Emery and lived at Oakhill Cottage, Oakham, where he worked as a commercial traveller for the Welton and Oakhill Brewery companies. He also took particular interest in the local community, serving as Chairman of the Bath branch of the Commercial Traveller's Association and a member of the Somerset Football Association.

Somerset v Hitler: Secret Operations in the Mendips, 1939-45, takes up the story:

'Jack Hillier commanded Oakhill Home Guard. Down in Gurney Slade quarry they were demonstrating firing a grenade from a rifle. You pulled the pin out and dropped the grenade into a cup screwed on the end of the rifle. The cup was the same size as the grenade and the pressure kept the lever in. You fired a blank cartridge and that threw the bomb. The landlord of the Horse and Jockey, Sergeant Crater, was holding the rifle. Jack Hillier was doing the demonstration and he put the bomb in upside down so that there was no pressure and the bomb just dropped out. Jack went to dive on it and throw it away but it exploded and killed him.'

Hilliar was admitted to the Royal United Hospital, Bath, but died shortly thereafter of shock and multiple injuries. His inquest gave the cause of death as 'misadventure'. Aged 48, he is buried at Ashwick (St. James) Churchyard Extension, Somerset. His wife Elsie died in 1992 and is buried in Ashwick Churchyard, Somerset; sold with copied MIC, CWGC entry, and copied articles from the Western Daily Press and Wells Journal, together with a bronze medallion, engraved to obverse, '34th. Div. Germany 1919', and reverse, 'Relay Race 34th. Bn. M.G.C.', in damaged case of issue.


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Sold for
£500