Frank Hiley was the highest ranked soldier with the Hiley/Highley surname to lose his life in the First World War.
He was born in Nostell, a village between Pontefract and Wakefield in Yorkshire, in 1894, and was the son of Thomas and Jane Ann Hiley. Thomas was the proprietor of the Greyhound Inn in Pontefract. The 1901 census showed Frank, aged 7, living there with his parents and 6 siblings. In 1911 he was living as a Boarder in Chesterfield and working as a Motor Engineer.
Robert Coulson produced a Memorial Roll of the officers of Alexandra Princess of Wales Own Yorkshire Regiment who died 1914-1919. The following paragraph is reproduced with the permission of Edward Nicholl at www.ww1-yorkshires.org.uk.
Serving in the ranks as a private soldier his qualities were soon recognised and he received a commission as a 2nd Lt and rose rapidly through the officer ranks. In late 1917 and by now a captain, Frank Hiley was with the 8th battalion when they were deployed to the Italian Front. They arrived in mid November 1917 and were involved in actions around the Piave river in December 1917 and January 1918. Captain Hiley was killed on February 13th 1918 at the age of 24. With some of his platoon he was examining an enemy shell which suddenly and unaccountably exploded killing Captain Hiley and seriously wounding four of his men.
Serving in the ranks as a private soldier his qualities were soon recognised and he received a commission as a 2nd Lt and rose rapidly through the officer ranks. In late 1917 and by now a captain, Frank Hiley was with the 8th battalion when they were deployed to the Italian Front. They arrived in mid November 1917 and were involved in actions around the Piave river in December 1917 and January 1918. Captain Hiley was killed on February 13th 1918 at the age of 24. With some of his platoon he was examining an enemy shell which suddenly and unaccountably exploded killing Captain Hiley and seriously wounding four of his men.
Frank was buried in the Giavera British Cemetery, Arcade, near Venice in Italy.
The Greyhound Hotel still stands but is now known as The Tap and Barrel.
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| Captain Frank Hiley's grave in Italy |
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| The Giavera British Cemetery |
Photographs included courtesy of Steve Rogers, The War Graves Photographic Project.
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