Pte 300010 Samuel Hilton

• Age: 22
• From: Ashton in Makerfield, Lancs
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• K.I.A Wednesday 2nd January 1918
• Commemorated at: Hooge Crater Cem, Zillebeke
  Panel Ref: XVI.J.7

Samuel Hilton was born in 1895 at Ashton in Makerfield the son of John Hilton and his wife Ellen (nee Billingham) who married on 08th September 1879 at Ashton in Makerfield. He was  baptised on 17th April 1895. He was the 6th child of 8 and his siblings were: George, Richard, Margaret, William, John, Moses and Stephen.

The 1901 Census shows the family living at 3 Mill Street, Ashton in Makerfield. Samuel is 6 years of age and is living with his parents, seven siblings and his grandmother. His father is a 44 year old doal miner hewer born in Lancashire, whilst his mother is also 44 and born like her husband in Lancashire. His grandmother is shown as Margaret Hilton a 73 year old widow whilst his siblings are shown as; George aged 21 and a coal miner drawer, Richard 19 also a coal miner drawer, Margaret A. aged 17 and a cotton mill spinner, William aged 15 and a colliery brow screener, John aged 8, Moses aged 3 and new born Stephen.   

By the time of the 1911 Census the family are still living at the same address with Samuel now 16 employed as a house painter, he lives with his parents, grandmother and six siblings. His parents have been married for 31 years and declare that they have had eight children of whom 6 have survived. His grandmother Margaret Hilton is now 83 years of age. His siblings still living at the home address are; George, Richard, Margaret Alice, John, Moses and Stephen.     

He enlisted in Knowsley  joining the 18^th Lancashire Hussars as Private 250543 before transferring to the 18^th Battalion of The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 300010. He was killed in action on the 02^nd January 1918 aged 22.

Samuel now rests at Hooge Crater Cemetery, Zillebeke.

Hooge Chateau and its stables were the scene of very fierce fighting throughout the First World War. On 31 October 1914, the staff of the 1st and 2nd Divisions were wiped out when the chateau was shelled; from 24 May to 3 June 1915, the chateau was defended against German attacks and in July 1915, the crater was made by a mine sprung by the 3rd Division. On 30 July, the Germans took the chateau, and on 9 August, it and the crater were regained by the 6th Division. The Germans retook Hooge on 6 June 1916 and on 31 July 1917, the 8th Division advanced 1.6 Kms beyond it. It was lost for the last time in April 1918, but regained by the 9th (Scottish) and 29th Divisions on 28 September.

Hooge Crater Cemetery was begun by the 7th Division Burial Officer early in October 1917. It contained originally 76 graves, in Rows A to D of Plot I, but was greatly increased after the Armistice when graves were brought in from the battlefields of Zillebeke, Zantvoorde and Gheluvelt and other smaller cemeteries.

There are now 5,916 Commonwealth servicemen of the First World War buried or commemorated in this cemetery. 3,570 of the burials are unidentified, but special memorials record the names of a number of casualties either known or believed to be buried among them, or whose graves in other cemeteries were destroyed by shell fire.

The cemetery was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens.    

He is also commemorated on the war memorial at St Thomas’s Church, Ashton in Makerfield.

Samuel's older brother William was also killed in the Great War. He was serving with the 8th Battalion of the Duke of Wellington's (West Riding) Regiment when he was killed in action on 22nd July 1916, aged 32 during the Battle of the Somme. He now rests at Agny Cemetery in France.

We currently have no further information on Samuel Hilton. If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.