H.M.H.S. St. George

Mark Henry Hillary was born at Swalwell, near Gateshead, County Durham in 1884, one of 9 children of whom only 5 survived he was the 2nd of 5 sons and a daughter. His parents John Hillary and Theodosia Laybourne also of Gateshead were born 1858 and 1860 respectively, married in 1879. They first settled at 13, Cottage Row in the parish of Winlaton where John was employed as a labourer however they had moved by the following year to Swalwell where Mark’s elder brother John Jnr was born in 1883 also Christopher in 1888. By 1891 they were living at 132, Walker Street, Gateshead, John senior supported his family employed as a bricklayer and was joined by Mark at the age of 17 as a builder’s labourer, Christopher (13), Joseph born 1890 and Francis in 1893 were scholars. By 1911 they were living at 30, Dorothy Street.

Mark married Isabella Laing at the Registry Office, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, May 23rd 1914, just prior to the commencement of WW1 and having settled at 12, Sunderland Street, their daughter Theodosia was born September 16th 1914, son Mark William April 18th 1916.

He left his employment as a labourer and enlisted at Newcastle, November 26th 1914 assigned as Private 291 Northumberland Fusiliers. He joined his regiment at Gateshead, January 27th 1915 where he was posted to the 26th (3rd Tyneside Irish) Battalion which departed for Ripon in Yorkshire. After further training they moved to Salisbury Plain for final training and mobilised as part of the 103rd Brigade, attached to the 34th Division, August 27th 1915, Private Hillary departed as part of the British Expeditionary Force, January 9th 1916. The Division concentrated at La Crosse, east of St Omer for nursery training in trench warfare and by April 18th 1916 his promotion to paid Lance Corporal was confirmed. The 26th Battalion as part of the 34th Division was moved to the Somme in preparation for the opening battle due to commence June 29th but delayed due to bad weather until July 1st 1916. The 24th/25th/26th and 27th Battalions on the opening day attacked at La Boisselle where the 26th captured Scots and Sausage Redoubt.

During the attack Lance Corporal Hillary was wounded. Described as, “severe” and immediately evacuated back through the lines for medical attention he was finally admitted to the General Hospital at Rouen, from there he was shipped back to England for further treatment aboard HM Hospital Ship St. George, July 5th 1916. Sufficiently recovered Lance Corporal Hillary was transferred to the 80th Training Reserve Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers, November 4th 1916 and assigned the new service number TR5/41405, however he was transferred to Class P, March 4th 1917 and officially discharged, April 19th 1917, under King’s Regulations 392(xvi), “no longer physically fit for war service, cause fractured pelvic bones. The result of active service”. He was awarded Silver Badge No.246253 and free to return to his home at 2, Temple Street, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, however, it is unlikely that he could return to his employment as a labourer at the munitions works due to his injuries but was entitled to receive an Army pension.

Recipient of the British War Medal and Victory Medal, Mark Henry Hillary died at Gateshead in 1959 aged 75 years.

In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.