Biography of Captain JD Hills
John David Hills born in Greenwich, London in 1895 and was educated at Merchant Taylor’s School. He enlisted aged 19 at the start of the war, having given up a Classics Scholarship to Lincoln College Oxford in order to do so. He was commissioned in the 1/5th (Territorial) Battalion of the Leicestershire Regiment.
After training in the United Kingdom he went to France in February 1915 and served with distinction throughout the war. He was awarded the Military Cross with bar and the Croix de Guerre and was also mentioned in despatches.
After the War he went to Oxford and read History. He became assistant Master at Eton in 1921 and was made Senior History Master from 1935 to 1939. While working at Eton he commanded the Eton OTC (Officer Training Corps) from 1930 to 1932.
He was appointed Headmaster of Bradfield College in 1940 and held the post until 1955.
He married Lady Rosemary Baring (elder daughter of the Second Earl of Cromer) in 1932 and they had one son and two daughters.
Captain Hills retired to Wales and died aged 80 in 1975.
Captain JD Hills 
During the war 1914-18 there were at one time and another seven old Merchant Taylors serving in the 5th Battalion The 5th Leicestershire Regiment. Three were killed in action, William Maurice Cole, Percy Measures and Cyril Bernard Wilson Buck.
At the end of the war the 4 surviving officers Godwin Edward Banwell, John David Hill, Donald Burman Petch and John Cridlan Barrett presented a trophy to the school – The 5th Leicestershire Trophy, Inter House Athletic Sports Championship to commemorate this fact.
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Interesting read never seen this before and was research some Surrey soldiers when I found this like. I actually sell WW1 postcards on eBay and have a card from J D Hills listed, I think the family can from North Kilworth>
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