KINGSNORTH - Kent Fallen

HAMILTON N.B
Captain Norman Butler HAMILTON. 5 th Battalion, (King’s Own) Royal Lancaster Regiment.
Died Wednesday 24 th July 1918. Resided Finn Farm, Finn Farm Road, Kingsnorth, Ashford, Kent.
Buried in the Post Office Rifles Cemetery, Festubert. France. Grave reference III.F.23.
The Ashford 1918 Absentee Voters List gives –
Finn Farm House, Kingsnorth
Captain Norman Butler HAMILTON. King’s Own (Royal Lancashire’s).
Festubert was occupied by Commonwealth forces in October 1914 and on 23-24 November, the
Indian Corps repulsed a German attack. The Battle of Festubert (15-25 May 1915) resulted in a
short advance which left the village somewhat less exposed than it had been, and from then until
9 April 1918 and the beginning of the Battle of the Lys, this sector was quiet. Festubert was held
by the 55th (West Lancashire) Division against the German assault, and successive attacks
lasting through the month were repelled by the 1st and other Divisions. It remained an outpost for
Commonwealth forces until the final advance began in September 1918. Post Office Rifles
Cemetery was used in April-June 1915, before and during the Battles of Aubers Ridge and
Festubert; it then contained 40 graves, of which 38 belonged to the London Regiment (chiefly the
8th Battalion). It was increased after the Armistice when graves were brought in from the
surrounding battlefields, and in particular from the part of the line defended by the 55th Division in
April 1918. The cemetery now contains 400 First World War burials, 272 of which are
unidentified. The cemetery was designed by Charles Holden.
HILLS H
Private G/8466 Herbert HILLS. 8 th Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). Died
Wednesday 16 th August 1916. Born Kingsnorth. Buried in the Corbie Communal Cemetery
Extension, Corbie, Somme, France. Grave reference Plot 2, Row A, Grave 111.
There are at least 4 members of the HILLS family buried in the Kingsnorth Churchyard.
The day that Herbert lost his life the 8 th battalion were at Bernafay Wood on the Somme, France.
The battalion was involved in a major attack on the 18 th August 1916. There is no reference to
any attack the day that Herbert died which probably means that he was wounded at an earlier
date and died of his wounds on 16 th August 1916.
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