James Hills-Johnes

Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:Use British English Template:Infobox military person Lieutenant General Sir James Hills-Johnes, Template:Postnominals (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

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.<ref name=odnb/>

Military career

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James Hill-Johnes at the Siege of Delhi

Hills was a 23 year old second lieutenant in the Bengal Horse Artillery during the Indian Mutiny at the Siege of Delhi on 9 July 1857 for which he and Henry Tombs, commander of the Bengal Horse Artillery contingent were together awarded the Victoria Cross.

Hills had been on picket duty with two guns near the camp when enemy cavalry attacked. In order to give the guns time, Hills rode straight at the enemy, cutting down two of them before he was knocked from his horse. Getting up he was attacked by the enemy. Hills shot one, avoided the lance of another and cut him with his sword before finishing the first attacker. A third grappled with Hills and took his sword from him but Tombs, who had come up to check the guns, arrived in time and shot the man. On the way back to the position, they encountered another of the enemy. Hills and Tombs parried the first attacks but Hills then took a blow to the head and went down; Tombs "put his sword through the man" saving Hills for the second time.<ref> Template:London Gazette</ref>

The official citation in the London Gazette 27 April 1858 read: Template:Quote

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.<ref name=odnb>Template:ODNB [includes details of Sir James Hills-Johnes, Sir John Hills's elder brother.]</ref> For services in Afghanistan he was appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) in March 1881.<ref>Template:London Gazette</ref> Hills-Johnes was promoted lieutenant-general in January 1884<ref>Template:London Gazette</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>Template:London Gazette</ref>

Later life

File:Hills-Johnes Memorial - Caio.JPG

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.<ref name=odnb/> He was appointed Honorary Colonel of the Royal Carmarthen Artillery, the local Militia unit, on 25 February 1891.<ref>Army List.</ref> He was a long standing friend of Lord Roberts, and in 1900 he accompanied Roberts in a private capacity during the 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 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 (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.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

His medals, including the Victoria Cross, are displayed at the Royal Artillery Museum, Woolwich, London.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Further reading

• Template:Cite odnb (includes details of Sir James Hills-Johnes)
• Template:Cite book