Capt Roland Justice Hill

Roland Hill — ‘‘Roland Justice Hill’’ in his military records, but ‘‘Rowland Justus Hill’’ on his birth certificate — was named after his father, prominent artist Justus Hill.

Born in London, Hill was a ship’s steward who started working New Zealand waters in 1906, and married Catherine Hughes in Dunedin in 1910.

Four years later Hill was a clerk at the Oriental Hotel, and the father of two children, Roland and Phyllis.

Despite his family commitments, he was not far behind McLean in enlisting for the army: Hill swore his service oath on December 20, 1914.

His army career path mirrored McLean’s: starting as a private, he was made a quartermaster sergeant upon arrival in Egypt in 1915 and became a commissioned officer when the Otago Regiment moved to France in 1916.

Mentioned in dispatches in 1917, in January 1918 Hill was awarded the Military Cross for personally taking rations and supplies to the front line under heavy shellfire during the