Arthur Hillman
HILLMAN, Arthur James AMICE MIEAust MC (1884-1922)
Arthur J Hillman was born in Perth, the son of banker, and volunteer soldier, Major Alfred James Hillman (1841-1884) and his wife Elizabeth Deborah Hillman nee Brockman. Arthur J Hillman was the grandson of pioneering surveyor, Alfred Hillman (1807-1883), whose work included exploring and surveying the Albany Highway. Alfred Hillman (1807-1883) had come to the Swan River Colony in 1831 in the position of Colonial Draftsman.
Hillman’s education was through Perth Boys School and Melbourne Church of England Grammar School. In 1896 he was awarded the Witheby Scholarship at Melbourne Grammar. He matriculated in 1901 and was dux of Melbourne Grammar.
Hillman commenced work with the Public Works Department as an engineering cadet in 1902 and received training at the Fremantle Technical College and the Melbourne University. On January 24, 1911, he married Helene Elizabeth Merry at All Saints Church, Belmont, NSW.
In 1913 he was the Resident Engineer, Geraldton Water Supply. He was admitted to Associate Membership of the Institution of Civil Engineers in 1914.
In 1915, when applying for a commission he stated that he was employed as Assistant Engineer, Perth District Water Supply Department. In May 1916 he was appointed as Captain and embarked on June 1, 1916 from Fremantle on board His Majesty’s Australian Transport (HMAT) A69 Warilda with 1,118 members of the 4th, 5th and 6th Tunnelling Companies.
Disembarking at Plymouth, England on 18 July 1916, the men on HMAT Warilda underwent further training before some, including Hillman, proceeded to France on 28 August 1916. Hillman was taken on strength of the 3rd Australian Tunnelling Company, Supernumerary to Establishment, on 25 September 1916. Hillman was then taken on strength of the 3rd Tunnelling Company on 1 June 1917. During their time on the Western Front, the 3rd Tunnelling Company was allocated to the British First Army. They were employed by the British in the Sectors of Wytschaete, Fromelles, Laventie, Fauquissart, Lens, Loos, Arras, Givenchy, Vermelles and Le Tilleloy.
Arthur Hillman was marched out of the 3rd Tunnelling Company on 6 February 1919 for repatriation to Australia; however, on 13 February 1919 he was given Command of the 2nd Tunnelling Company. Two weeks later on 21 February 1919, he marched out to England for demobilisation, returning to Australia on the Sardinia, which departed London on 19 April 1919.
The award of the Military Cross to Captain Arthur James Hillman for gallant and distinguished service in the field, was published in the London Gazette of 3 June 1918.
He was admitted to the convocation of the University of Western Australia by the Senate on October 20, 1919.
He was a strong supporter of the Institution of Engineers being elected to the Perth Division Committee in 1921 and having been a founding associate member of the WA Institution of Engineers.
In 1921 he was Executive Engineer for the construction of the Lower Bickley Brook Reservoir and in 1922 was Assistant Engineer on the Mount Hawthorn reservoir.
Hillman died after a short illness, associated with having been gassed when in service, at Guildford on April 27, 1922. At the time of his death he was Assistant Engineer Metropolitan Water Supply, Vice President of the Perth Division of the Institution of Engineers, second in command of the 13th Double Field Company of Engineers and a councillor at the Guildford Municipal Council. He was survived by his wife and six young children including Robert Hillman who later became Director of Engineering of the Public Works Department.
References:
West Australian 3.4.1914, p6.
Australian War Memorial, Studio Portrait of Arthur James Hillman
Swan Express, 28.4.1922, p2
Donna Baldey, Captain Arthur James Hillman, www.tunnellers.net, 2008
http://www.guildfordanzacs.org.au/anzac/320 Accessed October 28, 2019
