HILL, GEORGE (ROWLEY) (1837-1930) joined the Royal Navy in 1851, and saw service in the Crimea, being in H.M.S. Leopard at the bombardment of Sebastopol and afterwards in the Baltic. In the Indian mutiny he was with Peel's naval brigade, and was slightly wounded at Lucknow. Leaving his ship (H.M.S. Hannibal) at Palermo in 1860, he served with Garibaldi and was wounded. When he rejoined his ship, his desertion was pardoned. In 1868 Hill came to New Zealand and joined von Tempsky's Forest Rangers. He served in Taranaki and against the Hauhau on the East Coast in No. 1 company Military Settlers and the Armed Constabulary. At the siege of Hiruharama pa, near Mohaka on 10-12 Apr 1869 he led a party of natives past the rifle pits of Te Kooti's men and so gained admission to the pa. Hill was the life of the defence thereafter, strengthening the palisade and keeping up a steady and destructive fire from the angles. He was recommended for the New Zealand Cross, which was granted. After the war he joined the submarine mining section of the permanent force at Fort Cautley, and afterwards lived at Takapuna. He held two medals presented by the Royal Humane Society for saving human life. Hill died on 15 Feb 1930.

Lambert (p); Who's Who N.Z., 1924; Cowan (p); Gudgeon (p); The Dominion, 7 Jan 1927; Evening Post, 15 Jul 1879.

Reference: Volume 1, page 211

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