Reginald George Hillier

Story:
Reginald George Hillier was born in Shaftesbury, Dorset, on 7 Jun 1890 the son of George Hillier, a Watchmaker, and Sarah Anne Hillier (nee Aldridge).  He lived his early life at 12 Salisbury Street, Shaftesbury, until by 1911 he had moved to Northampton, Northamptonshire, where he was working as Watch, Clock and Instrument Repairers Assistant.   He married Violet Winifred Bray in Melksham, Wiltshire, during 1914.  He had enlisted with the Royal Naval Air Service on 15 Mar 1917 as a Leading Mechanic (Service No. F26939).  He transferred to the newly formed Royal Air Force on 1 Apr 1918 (Service No. 226939) (Records show he had also served with the Dorset Territorials as a Private from 1907 to 1910).  He was discharged on 4 Mar 1919 and awarded the Victory and British War Medals.  The 1921 Census shows him living at 73 Derby Road, Northampton, Northants, working as a Watch Repairer. By the time of the 1939 Register he had moved to 35 The Vale, Northampton, described as as a Watch, Clock and Instrument Repairer as well as a Volunteer ARP Warden.   His death was recorded in Northampton on 8 Sep 1953 (per Probate records). Of his brothers, Alfred, Bertram Edgar, Harold Sydney and Clarence Fred Hillier, also served and survived the conflict.