>Anthony Staunton →Military career: Hills-Johnes did not serve in the siege of Lucknow but in operations for its relief and after. |
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{{Short description|British general and Victoria Cross recipient}} | |||
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2014}} | {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2014}} | ||
{{Use British English|date=May 2014}} | {{Use British English|date=May 2014}} | ||
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|caption= Sir James Hills-Johnes {{circa}} 1900s | |caption= Sir James Hills-Johnes {{circa}} 1900s | ||
|birth_name= James Hills | |birth_name= James Hills | ||
|nickname= | |nickname=Jemmy<ref name=odnb/> | ||
|birth_date= {{birth date|1833|08|20|df=yes}} | |birth_date= {{birth date|1833|08|20|df=yes}} | ||
|birth_place= Neechindipur, [[British India]] | |birth_place= Neechindipur, [[British India]] | ||
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|unit= [[Bengal Horse Artillery]]<br/>[[Royal Artillery]] | |unit= [[Bengal Horse Artillery]]<br/>[[Royal Artillery]] | ||
|commands= 3rd Division, Northern Afghanistan Field Force<br/>Military Governor of Kabul<br/>Kohat District<br/>Peshawar Mountain Battery | |commands= 3rd Division, Northern Afghanistan Field Force<br/>Military Governor of Kabul<br/>Kohat District<br/>Peshawar Mountain Battery | ||
|battles= [[Indian Mutiny]]<br/>[[British Expedition to Abyssinia|Abyssinian War]]<br/>[[Second Anglo-Afghan War]] | |battles= [[Indian Mutiny]]<br/>[[British Expedition to Abyssinia|Abyssinian War]]<br/>[[Lushai Expedition]]<br/>[[Second Anglo-Afghan War]] | ||
|awards= [[Victoria Cross]]<br/>[[Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath]]<br/>[[Mentioned in Despatches]] (4) | |awards= [[Victoria Cross]]<br/>[[Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath]]<br/>[[Mentioned in Despatches]] (4) | ||
|relations= [[William George Cubitt]] VC (brother-in-law)<br/>[[Lewis Pugh Evans]] VC (nephew) | |relations= [[William George Cubitt]] VC (brother-in-law)<br/>[[Lewis Pugh Evans]] VC (nephew) | ||
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==Early life== | ==Early life== | ||
Born '''James Hills''' on 20 August 1833 in Neechindipur, [[Bengal]], [[India]], he was son of James and Charlotte Hills. He was educated at the [[Edinburgh Academy]] (1843–1847), the [[Stewart's Melville College|Edinburgh Institution]] (1847–1850) and the [[Addiscombe Military Seminary]] (1851–1853), and was commissioned into the [[Bengal Artillery]]. Hills changed his surname to '''Hills-Johnes''' in 1882 on his marriage to Elizabeth Johnes, the younger daughter and coheiress of John Johnes of [[Dolaucothi Estate|Dolaucothi]], Carmarthenshire. | Born '''James Hills''' on 20 August 1833 in Neechindipur, [[Bengal]], [[India]], he was the son of James and Charlotte Hills. He was educated at the [[Edinburgh Academy]] (1843–1847), the [[Stewart's Melville College|Edinburgh Institution]] (1847–1850) and the [[Addiscombe Military Seminary]] (1851–1853), and was commissioned into the [[Bengal Artillery]] in 1853. Hills changed his surname to '''Hills-Johnes''' in 1882 on his marriage to Elizabeth Johnes, the younger daughter and coheiress of John Johnes of [[Dolaucothi Estate|Dolaucothi]], Carmarthenshire.<ref name=odnb/> | ||
==Military career== | ==Military career== | ||
[[File:James Hill Johnes, VC, Attacking the Enemy (gcf03672).jpg|thumb|left|James Hill-Johnes at the Siege of Delhi]] | [[File:James Hill Johnes, VC, Attacking the Enemy (gcf03672).jpg|thumb|left|James Hill-Johnes at the Siege of Delhi]] | ||
Hills | Hills was a 23 years old [[second lieutenant]] in the [[Bengal Horse Artillery]] during the [[Indian Mutiny]] when the following deed took place at the [[Siege of Delhi]] on 9 July 1857 for which he and [[Henry Tombs]] were awarded the [[Victoria Cross]]: | ||
{{quote|Lieutenant-Colonel Henry Tombs, C.B., and Lieutenant James Hills | {{quote|Lieutenant-Colonel Henry Tombs, C.B., and Lieutenant James Hills | ||
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published in the Supplement to the London Gazette of 16 January 1858.)<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=22131|page=2050|date=27 April 1858}}</ref>}} | published in the Supplement to the London Gazette of 16 January 1858.)<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=22131|page=2050|date=27 April 1858}}</ref>}} | ||
In addition to the Delhi clasp of the [[Indian Mutiny Medal]], Hills | In addition to the Delhi clasp of the [[Indian Mutiny Medal]], Hills received the Lucknow clasp awarded to troops under command of [[Colin Campbell, 1st Baron Clyde|Sir Colin Campbell]] who were engaged in final operations leading to the surrender of [[Siege of Lucknow|Lucknow]] and the clearing of the surrounding areas from November 1857 to March 1858. | ||
After a number of staff appointments, Hills served as an artillery officer in the [[British Expedition to Abyssinia|Abyssinian campaign]] of 1867–68 and the [[Lushai Expedition]] of 1871–72. Promoted major-general in July 1879, he fought in the [[Second Anglo-Afghan War]] (1878–80), and was made military governor of [[Kabul]] in October 1879 and commanded a [[Division (military)|division]] in 1880.<ref name=odnb>{{cite web|url=https://doi.org/10.1093/ref:odnb/61061 |title=Johnes-Hills, Sir James ''(on page of: Hills, Sir John)''|last1=Vetch |first1=R.H.|last2=''Revised by: ''Stearn |first2=Roger T. |publisher=Oxford Dictionary of National Biography|access-date=8 September 2021|isbn=019861411X}}</ref> For services in Afghanistan he was appointed Knight Commander of the [[Order of the Bath]] (KCB) in March 1881.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=24944|page=975|date=1 March 1881}}</ref> Hills-Johnes was promoted lieutenant-general in January 1884<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=25312|page=380|date=25 January 1884}}</ref> and retired in 1888.<ref name=odnb/> He was made a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath (GCB) in June 1893.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=26409|page=3251|date=3 June 1893}}</ref> | |||
==Later life== | ==Later life== | ||
[[File:Hills-Johnes Memorial - Caio.JPG|thumb|right|upright|Memorial to Lt General Sir James Hills-Johnes in the lychgate of the Caio churchyard]] | [[File:Hills-Johnes Memorial - Caio.JPG|thumb|right|upright|Memorial to Lt General Sir James Hills-Johnes in the lychgate of the Caio churchyard]] | ||
Hills-Johnes was [[High Sheriff of Carmarthenshire]] in 1886 and made an honorary freeman of the town of Carmarthen in 1910. He also served as a member of [[Carmarthenshire County Council, 1889-1974|Carmarthenshire County Council]]. He died on 3 January 1919, aged 85, at his [[Dolaucothi Estate]] and was buried at [[Caio, Carmarthenshire]]. | Hills-Johnes was [[High Sheriff of Carmarthenshire]] in 1886 and made an honorary freeman of the town of [[Carmarthen]] in 1910. He also served as a member of [[Carmarthenshire County Council, 1889-1974|Carmarthenshire County Council]]. He was a long standing friend of [[Frederick Roberts, 1st Earl Roberts|Lord Roberts]], and in 1900 he accompanied Roberts in a private capacity during the [[Second Boer War|South African War]].<ref name=odnb/> | ||
He died of influenza during the post-war pandemic on 3 January 1919, aged 85, at his [[Dolaucothi Estate]] and was buried at [[Caio, Carmarthenshire]].<ref name=odnb/> | |||
Hills-Johnes | Hills-Johnes had five brothers and four sisters. The brothers included Major-General Sir John Hills (1834–1902) of the Bombay Engineers;<ref name=odnb/> [[Robert Hills (cricketer, born 1837)|Robert Hills]] (1837–1909), a [[first-class cricket]]er who was the brother-in-law of Lieutenant [[William George Cubitt]] VC and uncle of Brigadier [[Lewis Pugh Evans]] VC; and Charles Hills (1847–1935), the family history saying he was the real father of Hollywood actress [[Merle Oberon]].<ref>{{cite book |first=Miles |last=MacNair |title=Indigo & Opium: two remarkable families and fortunes won and lost |publisher=Brewin Books |place=Studley |year=2013 |isbn=9781858585178 }}</ref> | ||
His Victoria Cross | His medals, including the Victoria Cross, are displayed at the [[Royal Artillery Museum]], [[Woolwich]], London.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.victoriacross.org.uk/ccrrart.htm |title=VC locations: victoriacross.org.uk.|access-date=10 September 2021}}</ref> | ||
==References== | ==References== | ||
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[[Category:British military personnel of the Abyssinian War]] | [[Category:British military personnel of the Abyssinian War]] | ||
[[Category:British military personnel of the Second Anglo-Afghan War]] | [[Category:British military personnel of the Second Anglo-Afghan War]] | ||
[[Category:British Army generals]] | [[Category:British Army lieutenant generals]] | ||
[[Category:Royal Artillery officers]] | [[Category:Royal Artillery officers]] | ||
[[Category:High Sheriffs of Carmarthenshire]] | [[Category:High Sheriffs of Carmarthenshire]] | ||
[[Category:Members of Carmarthenshire County Council]] | [[Category:Members of Carmarthenshire County Council]] | ||
Latest revision as of 17:23, 18 June 2022
Sir James Hills-Johnes | |
|---|---|
 Sir James Hills-Johnes c. 1900s | |
| Birth name | James Hills |
| Nickname(s) | Jemmy[1] |
| Born | 20 August 1833 Neechindipur, British India |
| Died | 3 January 1919 (aged 85) Dolaucothi Estate, Carmarthenshire, Wales |
| Buried | |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Service/ | Bengal Army British Indian Army |
| Years of service | 1853–1888 |
| Rank | Lieutenant General |
| Unit | Bengal Horse Artillery Royal Artillery |
| Commands held | 3rd Division, Northern Afghanistan Field Force Military Governor of Kabul Kohat District Peshawar Mountain Battery |
| Battles/wars | Indian Mutiny Abyssinian War Lushai Expedition Second Anglo-Afghan War |
| Awards | Victoria Cross Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath Mentioned in Despatches (4) |
| Relations | William George Cubitt VC (brother-in-law) Lewis Pugh Evans VC (nephew) |
Lieutenant General Sir James Hills-Johnes, VC, GCB (20 August 1833 – 3 January 1919) was a British Indian Army officer and a recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.
Early life[edit | edit source]
Born James Hills on 20 August 1833 in Neechindipur, Bengal, India, he was the son of James and Charlotte Hills. He was educated at the Edinburgh Academy (1843–1847), the Edinburgh Institution (1847–1850) and the Addiscombe Military Seminary (1851–1853), and was commissioned into the Bengal Artillery in 1853. Hills changed his surname to Hills-Johnes in 1882 on his marriage to Elizabeth Johnes, the younger daughter and coheiress of John Johnes of Dolaucothi, Carmarthenshire.[1]
Military career[edit | edit source]
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Hills was a 23 years old second lieutenant in the Bengal Horse Artillery during the Indian Mutiny when the following deed took place at the Siege of Delhi on 9 July 1857 for which he and Henry Tombs were awarded the Victoria Cross:
Lieutenant-Colonel Henry Tombs, C.B., and Lieutenant James Hills
Date of Act of Bravery, 9 July 1857
For very gallant conduct on the part of Lieutenant Hills before Delhi, in defending the position assigned to him in case of alarm, and for noble behaviour on the part of Lieutenant-Colonel Tombs in twice coming to his subaltern's rescue, and on each occasion killing his man. (See despatch of Lieutenant-Colonel Mackenzie, Commanding 1st Brigade Horse Artillery, dated Camp, near Delhi, 10 July 1857,
published in the Supplement to the London Gazette of 16 January 1858.)[2]
In addition to the Delhi clasp of the Indian Mutiny Medal, Hills received the Lucknow clasp awarded to troops under command of Sir Colin Campbell who were engaged in final operations leading to the surrender of Lucknow and the clearing of the surrounding areas from November 1857 to March 1858.
After a number of staff appointments, Hills served as an artillery officer in the Abyssinian campaign of 1867–68 and the Lushai Expedition of 1871–72. Promoted major-general in July 1879, he fought in the Second Anglo-Afghan War (1878–80), and was made military governor of Kabul in October 1879 and commanded a division in 1880.[1] For services in Afghanistan he was appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) in March 1881.[3] Hills-Johnes was promoted lieutenant-general in January 1884[4] and retired in 1888.[1] He was made a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath (GCB) in June 1893.[5]
Later life[edit | edit source]
Hills-Johnes was High Sheriff of Carmarthenshire in 1886 and made an honorary freeman of the town of Carmarthen in 1910. He also served as a member of Carmarthenshire County Council. He was a long standing friend of Lord Roberts, and in 1900 he accompanied Roberts in a private capacity during the South African War.[1]
He died of influenza during the post-war pandemic on 3 January 1919, aged 85, at his Dolaucothi Estate and was buried at Caio, Carmarthenshire.[1]
Hills-Johnes had five brothers and four sisters. The brothers included Major-General Sir John Hills (1834–1902) of the Bombay Engineers;[1] Robert Hills (1837–1909), a first-class cricketer who was the brother-in-law of Lieutenant William George Cubitt VC and uncle of Brigadier Lewis Pugh Evans VC; and Charles Hills (1847–1935), the family history saying he was the real father of Hollywood actress Merle Oberon.[6]
His medals, including the Victoria Cross, are displayed at the Royal Artillery Museum, Woolwich, London.[7]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Vetch, R.H.; Revised by: Stearn, Roger T. "Johnes-Hills, Sir James (on page of: Hills, Sir John)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. ISBN 019861411X. Retrieved 8 September 2021.
- ↑ "No. 22131". The London Gazette. 27 April 1858. p. 2050.
- ↑ "No. 24944". The London Gazette. 1 March 1881. p. 975.
- ↑ "No. 25312". The London Gazette. 25 January 1884. p. 380.
- ↑ "No. 26409". The London Gazette. 3 June 1893. p. 3251.
- ↑ MacNair, Miles (2013). Indigo & Opium: two remarkable families and fortunes won and lost. Studley: Brewin Books. ISBN 9781858585178.
- ↑ "VC locations: victoriacross.org.uk". Retrieved 10 September 2021.
Further reading[edit | edit source]
- Vetch, R. H.; Stearn, Roger T. (reviewer) (2011) [2004]. "Hills, Sir John (1834–1902)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/33877. Template:ODNBsub (includes details of Sir James Hills-Johnes)
- Vibart, H. M. (1894). Addiscombe: its heroes and men of note. Westminster: Archibald Constable. pp. 608–13. OL 23336661M.