Albert Hill (VC)

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For other people with the same name please see Albert Hill (disambiguation).

Albert Hill VC (1895–1971) was a British soldier who won the Victoria Cross, the highest British military decoration. He was also a holder of the French Croix de Guerre, the Russian Cross of St. George, and three campaign medals.

Born in Hulme, Manchester, one of ten children, he was a weak and frail child who after his schooling started work in a mill, before becoming an apprentice planker at Wilson Hat Manufacturers, in Wilton Street, Denton (Manchester).

In August 1914 he joined the 10th Battalion, the Royal Welch Fusiliers, as a private. He was awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions at Delville Wood, part of the Battle of the Somme in 1916. His citation read:

"For most conspicuous bravery. On 20 July 1916, during the Somme Offensive, when 15280 Private Hill's battalion had been deployed under heavy fire, for an attack on the enemy in Delville Wood, France, the order to charge was given and he dashed forward. He met two of the enemy and bayoneted them both. Later, he was sent by his platoon sergeant, Hugh Green, to contact the enemy, and found himself cut off, being surrounded by over twenty Germans. He threw two hand grenades, killing and wounding about eighteen and scattering the remainder. He then joined a sergeant of his company and helped him to fight the way back to the lines. When he got back, hearing that his Company Officer, Captain Scales, and a scout were lying out wounded, he went out and assisted to bring in the mortally wounded Officer, two other men bringing in the scout. Finally, he himself captured two of the enemy and brought them in as prisoners. His conduct throughout was magnificent".

In February 1919 he returned to work in Wilson's factory, and married Doris Wilson a year later. They emigrated to the United States in 1923, where he found work as a building labourer, and had three daughters and a son. He attempted to enlist on the outbreak of the Second World War, but was advised to do defence work instead.

He died in Pawtucket, Rhode Island in 1971 and was buried with full military honours in Highland Memorial Park, Johnston, Rhode Island.

Hill Court in Wrexham is named in his honour. His Victoria Cross is displayed in the regimental museum of the Royal Welch Fusiliers, in Caernarfon.

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