Paton James Hill 2/Lt

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Surname: Paton;

Forename(s): James Hill;

Initials: JH;

Rank: 2/Lt;

Born in: Glasgow;

Resided in: Glasgow;

Previous Number: 6539;

Previous Battalion: 28 of;

Previous Regiment: London Regt;

MGC Branch: Infantry;

MGC Unit: 34 Bn;

Other MGC Unit Served (1): 101 Coy;

Other MGC Unit Served (2): 34 Bn;

How killed: D;

Where: UK;

When killed: 19-Mar-1919;

Awarded: MID;

Other Data: b 27/9/1888
See article Emma Gee, Oct 1998
born Glasgow 27/9/1888. Educ Albany academy and Allan Glen's School. Coal Exporter of 40 Westbourne Rd, Penarth on enlistment as 6539 Pte 28 London Regt.
Casualty Form: 8/9/1917 BD Camiers from UK. 15/9/1917 to join 101 Coy in the field. 17/11/1917 to hospital - conjunctivitis - to Red X Hosp - to Convales Home
22/1/1918 discharged Class A and rejoined at BD Camiers. 23/2/1918 joined 101 Coy.
POW Germany 22/3/1918 Croiselles
ICRC Ref: PA26220
27/3/1918 34 Bn - missing. 28/5/1918 accepted as POW in German hands. 20/12/1918 landed Dover on 11/12/1918. Examined by Army Council and exhonerated. Statement "early on the morning of the 22nd (March 1918) I left my MG emplacements because the enemy was approaching from the rear and I could not fire on them from these positions. I joined a party of the R Scots (15 or 16 Bn) close by and cooperated with them in fighting a rearguard action lasting from dawn until about 11am. There were two officers with this party, Capt Brown and Lt Maclaren. We were entirely surrounded except along a trench to the left. The enemy bombed along towards us from the right. Capt Brown was on my right out of sight round the traverse and hearing him shout, I went round to see him as all my men were needed for the guns and my runner had gone with a message to HQ. I found Capt Brown and Lt Maclaren surrounded by Germans who seized and disarmed me. I did not realize Capt Brown's position until I was amongst them but thought he had probably seen something. So far as I know only three of my sub-section were taken and the rest got away under the sub-section Sgt."
Died 19/3/1919 at Prince of Wales Hospital, Marylebone. Report on death by Capt HR Moxon RAMC: "patient was admitted 19/3/1919 suffering acute intestinal obstruction of four days duration. On examination acute general peritonitis was present. Immediate operation performed and the obstruction found to be due to adherent Mickels Diverticulitim. Six feet of absolutely gangrenous gut were excised. Patient died the same day. In my opinion his death could not be attributed to disease contracted on active service or as a POW though the condition which killed him commenced, of course, subsequent to 19/3/1918."
POW: 21/3/1918 - repatriated 11/12/1918
see GS archives for copy of exonerated officer statement
79 Fotheringay Road,Maxwell Park, Glasgow;

Other Notes: PATON, Second Lieutenant, JAMES HILL, Machine Gun Corps (Inf). 19th March 1919. Age 30. Son of Mr. P. D. Paton, of 79, Fotheringay Rd., Glasgow. Q. 203. Cathcart Cemetery - Renfrewshire, United Kingdom.
MID: LG 25/5/1918;

Related National Archives files: WO339/71358;

END OF RECORD.

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