Peter William Edward Hill

Rear-Admiral (retired) Peter William Edward Hill (1 April, 1873 – 22 December, 1935) was an officer in the Royal Navy. He spoke some French but seemed to lack mechanical aptitude.

Life & Career

Born the son of W. R. Hill, Esquire in Lymington, Hill entered Britannia in January, 1886 after placing twenty-fourth in order of merit of the forty candidates for naval cadetship that were accepted for acceptance following a round of examinations in late November, 1885.

He gained eight months' time on passing out of Britannia in December 1887. His naval career started with a half year's service in Agincourt in the Channel, but he went to Imperieuse on the China Station for two years, ending on 22 November 1890.

After arriving home on 30 April, 1891, Hill was admitted to Haslar on 1 June with syphilis type II. He was able to join college on 22 September, 1892.

Hill was appointed to the gunboat Lapwing on 1 January, 1894 and was apparently acting as her executive officer until an inspection by the Commander-in-Chief, East Indies concluded he was "incompetent to perform duties of executive officer," which prompted his replacement in this role. After a year, Hill was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 31 December, 1894 but in January he contracted Mediterranean Fever, finally forcing his removal from Lapwing.

Hill regained his health and was declared fit for service on 28 May, 1895. He spent two years in Resolution in the Channel Squadron, and then was appointed to Empress of India on 8 June, 1897 which commenced three and a half years in the Mediterranean. After she paid off at the end of 1900, Hill was sent to the boys' training ship H.M.S. Boscawen as first officer.

Hill was promoted to the rank of Commander on 31 December, 1905 after completing a year spent as first officer in the pre-dreadnoughts Royal Sovereign and New Zealand.

Appointed in command of the third class protected cruiser Proserpine on 1 August, 1911. Rear-Admiral Slade found Hill "zealous & hardwkg but not able to cope with difficulties in machinery of Proserpine."

Hill was next appointed in command of the third class protected cruiser Pelorus in July, 1912. This period also saw him serve as Senior Naval Officer, Tangistan Coast, though the details of the appointment are not clearly noted in his service record.

In 1913, Hill participated in punitive operations on the Tangistan Coast (the south coast of modern Iran, within the Persian Gulf) and received praise from the Admiralty, the Persian Gulf Political Resident and the Indian Government.

Commander Hill was appointed in command of the armoured cruiser Euryalus on 16 March, 1914.

At the end of October 1914, Hill left Euryalus to assume command of the third class protected cruiser Sapphire. Hill was promoted to the rank of Captain on 31 December 1914 but would remain in command of Sapphire for nearly two years.

Hill was admitted to Malta Hospital with a sprained back and shoulder on 21 August, 1916 due to an accident. On 5 November, he was invalided from command of Sapphire with paresis in his right arm from the same accident. He was sent to England.

He was temporarily appointed in command of the battleship Illustrious from 15 November, 1916 until 5 December when he was appointed in command of the light cruiser Gloucester, where he remained through the end of the war.

Post-War

Hill served as Assistant Captain of the Dockyard and Assistant King's Harbour Master, Portsmouth for two years, from May, 1919. Upon being superseded on 10 May, 1921, he undertook Senior Officers' Technical and War Courses. Captain Scott noted that his work was "thoroughly competent."

Hill was placed on the Retired List at his own request on 3 July, 1922 and was promoted to the rank of Rear-Admiral on 8 May, 1925.

See Also

• Service Records
• Wikipedia

Naval Appointments
Preceded by Herbert J. T. Marshall	Captain of H.M.S. Proserpine 1 Aug, 1911 – Jun, 1912	Succeeded by Arthur H. C. C. Home
Preceded by Alexander P. Davidson	Captain of H.M.S. Pelorus Jul, 1912 – 19 Nov, 1913	Succeeded by Ernest Stevenson
Preceded by Hector L. Watts-Jones	Captain of H.M.S. Euryalus 16 Mar, 1914 – 29 Oct, 1914	Succeeded by Eustace La T. Leatham
Preceded by Hugh G. C. Somerville	Captain of H.M.S. Sapphire 29 Oct, 1914 – 5 Sep, 1916	Succeeded by Laurence R. Oliphant
Preceded by The Hon. Stanhope Hawke	Captain of H.M.S. Illustrious 15 Nov, 1916 – 5 Dec, 1916	Succeeded by ?
Preceded by John E. T. Harper	Captain of H.M.S. Gloucester 5 Dec, 1916 – 7 May, 1919	Succeeded by ?
Preceded by ?	Assistant Captain of Portsmouth Dockyard 7 May, 1919 – 10 May, 1921	Succeeded by George B. W. Young
Preceded by ?	Assistant King's Harbour Master, Portsmouth 7 May, 1919 – 10 May, 1921	Succeeded by George B. W. Young