07 Henry Thomas Hicks Jnr & Wife Eva – References

Henry Thomas Hicks Jnr was the son of Henry Thomas Hicks and wife Mary Ann McKenzie – born in Bulli, living early years in Austinmer (then called North Bulli) and later in Thirroul, off to Joadja for a short time before returning to Thirroul, a number of years in France during WWI, with his last years spent in Cronulla.

Looking down over Austinmer where Henry Thomas Hicks Jnr’s grandparents James & Margaret Hicks lived with their family in the 19th Century

• 1877.4.28 – Birth of Henry “Harry ?” Thomas Hicks Jnr  at North Bulli to Mary Ann & Henry Thomas Hicks Snr  – NSW BDM – 23063/1877
• 1880’s – educated at Superior Public School – presumably North Bulli (later Austinmer)
• 1889.5.25  – Source : Illawarra Mercury – page 2 – father North Illawarra Council Alderman Captain Henry Thomas Hicks JP presides over the opening of Robbinsville (later Thirroul) Public School
• 1889-90’s – perhaps education continued at Robbinsville (later Thirroul) Public School following its 1889 opening, presided over by his father North Illawarra Council Alderman Captain Henry Thomas Hicks JP
• 1891 – 05 -08 – Sydney Morning Herald – Banquet for Colonel Eden – 60 officers of various reserve companies present – Shooting Trophy Competition where father Captain Henry Thomas Hicks came 3rd
• 1895-08-24 – Sydney Morning Herald – father Captain HT Hicks JP in the chair at annual dinner of Bulli Civilan Rifle Club – HT Hicks received prize from recent shooting competition
• 1895 – 08 – 24 – Kiama Independent & Shoalhaven Advertiser – father Captain HT Hicks JP in the chair at annual dinner of Bulli Civilan Rifle Club – HT Hicks received prize from recent shooting competition
• 1896 – Henry Thomas Hicks Jnr Played  in Thirroul Soccer Team
• 1898 –  Henry married in Newtown to Eva Kate  Bottomly
• 1898 – Daughter Elsie E Hicks born at Joadja Creek
• 1899 – 06 -28 – Sydney Morning Herald – unsuccessful bid to be elected to the South Coast Rifle Association by Henry Thomas Hicks
• 1900.6.25 – Sydney Morning Herald -Mr Henry Hicks son of Captain Hicks of Thirroul had leg fractured at work at Bulli Mine (Old Bulli ?) – being treated by Dr Clifton Sturt – perhaps this was the source of sciatica that he experienced at times during his WWI Service in France ?
• 1900 – Birth of Unnamed Hicks at Woonona –  died in 1900
• 1901 – father Henry Thomas Hicks listed as being resident in Thirroul in the 1901 Census – household had 4 males & 11 females – were Henry Thomas Hicks Jnr & wife Eva living on Mt Gilead Farm with his parents ?
• 1904 – Soccer – Henry Hicks played in South Coast Representative side against Metropolitan Side – Sporting Pulse Honour Roll
• 1905 – Soccer – Henry Hicks played in South Coast Representative sides against Metropolitan and Newcastle, and was in the South Coast Squad that played New Zealand – Sporting Pulse Honour Roll
• 1907.4.15 – Sydney Morning Herald – Report on Illawarra Colliery Employees Association – Henry’s older brother Alexander is President & in the chair while Henry Hicks is delegate for North Bullli
• 1907.8.2 – Birth of son Henry Marshall Hicks
• 1908.12.24 – The Evening News – H T Hicks Jnr passes Mines Engine Drivers Licence under Mines Inspection Competency Act of 1901
• 1909.2.10 – The Evening News – “G” Company (Thirroul) St Georges E.R. Regiment – annual field training inspection held – Henry Thomas Hicks joined about this time according to his enlistment papers for WWI and also was part of CMF Instructional Staff
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    Thirroul Reserve Rifle Regiment pre WWI – HT Hicks Jnr may be in the 2nd Row 4th from Left with Robert Jones to his Right – Photograph is Courtesy of The Jones Family of Sherbrooke Collection – Source : Sandra Jones

     

• 1909 – 03 -03 – Will of father Henry Thomas Hicks is made – Henry Thomas Hicks Jnr is Executor
• 1909 – 03 -30 – Sydney Morning Herald – Death of father Henry Thomas Hicks – mention of being senior JP in the District  – NSW BDM – 3909/1909
• 1909 – 03 -30 – Evening News – Death of father Henry Thomas Hicks – formerly Captain of Bulli Civilian Rifle Club
• 1909.5.12  – Sydney Morning Herald – Reference to Henry Thomas Hicks Jnr in his father’s will that he was a miner & was an Executor of the will
• 1909 – 06 – 12 – Sydney Morning Herald – Probate granted for estate of father Henry Thomas Hicks
• 1909 – Henry Thomas Hicks Jnr elected as President of Thirroul Surf Club – unclear if this extended over several years as records are incomplete
• 1911.11.4 – Sydney Morning Herald – Henry Thomas Hicks Jnr elected to committee of Thirroul Homing Pigeon Society
• 1912.5.27 – Sydney Morning Herald – Henry Thomas Hicks Jnr elected to committee of Thirroul Homing Pigeon Society
• WWI Military Service – spent time in Boulogne, Rouen & Havre France where was wounded in action – plus at various military training schools in England 
• 1915.7.31 – Henry Thomas Hicks Jnr qualified as  for 2nd Lieutenant by competitive examination
• 1916.2.23 – Henry Thomas Hicks Jnr enlists in 34th Battalion of AIF, birthplace given as Bulli, aged 39 years, occupation given as soldier with no civilian employment given, next of kin is wife Eva Kate Hicks who is living at Glen Roy (Station St ) Thirroul – cites 4 years with St George Rifles and 5 6/12 years at CMF Instructional Staff S M – currently serving – declaration made on 25.4.1916 – his record of service is 74 pages in length1916-8-1 – Henry Thomas Hicks Jnr promoted to Lieutenant but ante-dated to 1916.5.1 – also Volunteers Register
  • Note – The 34th Battalion was part of the 9th Brigade of the 3rd Division of the AIF – a predominantly Maitland based Battalion
  • click here for a Diary of the 34th Battalion,  
  • click here for a Record of the 34th Battalion
  • click here for other Collection items relating to the 34th Battalion

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    Captain Henry Thomas Hicks Jnr

• 1916.9.25 – Fracture (foot?) during bayonet assault training exercise jumping from truck
• 1916.11.22 – sailed to France from Southampton – moved into the trenches of the Western Front for the onset of the terrible winter of 1916-17 – possibly part of the Hindenburg Line activities
• 1917.4 – was in Boulogne 
• 1917.5 – back in England
• 1917.5.28 – in France in Havre
• 1917.6 – in France
• 1917.5.1 – Brisbane Courier – Lieutenant HT Hicks Thirroul is listed as Ill – others are listed as killed in action, missing, wounded, or ill
• 1917.6.18 – Henry Thomas Hicks Jnr promoted to Captain to complete establishment –  possibly present at the Battle of Messines. However uncertain if he was there at the time of the Ypres Sector in Belgium in mid 1917. Also uncertain if he was in the field at Passchendaele with his Battalion during October 1917, where there was a disastrous defeat and over 50 percent of casualties for the 34th – a battlefield deluged with rain creating a battlefield of mud.
• 1918.4.20 – He had missed the attack on Hangward Wood in March 1918, however back to France Havre – most likely part of the major activity which defeated a major drive on Villers Bretonneux – the last great German offensive
• 1918.7.27 – Detached to  Army Infantry School
• 1918.8. 7 – Back in France – possibly there for the battle of Amiens and also possibly the Battle of St Quentin Canal
• 1919.8.17 – Rejoined
• 1918.8.24 – Wounded in action – France
• 1918.8.26 – Returned to England
• 1918.9.13 – Wife Eva advised that husband Henry Thomas Hicks Jnr has “mild” gunshot wounds to head, cheek, left shoulder in Rouen France
• 1918.9.17 – Wife Eva advised that husband has been sent to England with “mild” gunshot wounds to head, cheek, left shoulder
• 1918.11.22 – Wounded in  France
• 1918.8.23 – Admitted to L of C hospital in France.
• 1918.8.26 – Evacuated to England
• 1918.8.27 – Admitted to Hospital in England
• 1918.10.18 – Discharged from Hospital
• 1918.11.25 – Wounded in France
• 1918.12.3 – Resumed duties and back to France Boulogne
• 1919.4.8 – Embarked for return to Australia
• 1919.5.25 – Disembarked Australia and 34th Battalion disbanded – click here for a Diary of the Battalion
• WWI – Citations listed in War Service Record – (to be added)
• 1919.7.10 – Service with AIF terminated – note although the War Service Record does not list being gassed during WWI, according to his grandson Ian, this had occurred and impacted the health of his grandfather Henry Thomas Hicks Jnr in later life. The Australian War Memorial record of the 34th Battalion does state that its members were gassed.

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    Thirroul Soldiers Memorial – Captain H T Hicks Jnr is included in the listing of those who served

• 1921  – Marriage of daughter Elsie to Robert Rankin in Bulli
• Son Henry Marshall Hicks works for Carpenter for 6 years then building supervisor for 49 years for uncle, Arthur Frederick Webb (AF Webb)
• 1924 – Son Henry Marshall Hicks moves to Murwillumbah working for uncle, Arthur Frederick Webb – possibly on Murwillumbah High School and Imperial Hotel
• 1928 – Son Henry Marshall Hicks returns to Thirroul
• 1930-02-24 – Sydney Morning Herald – Death Notice for mother Mary Ann Hicks of Seaview Terrace Thirroul – passed away 23/2/1930
• 1930-2-24 – Sydney Morning Herald – Funeral Notice for mother Mary Ann Hicks of Everest Seaview Terrace Thirroul at St Augustine’s Bulli
• 1930-02-26 – Sydney Morning Herald – Death Notice for mother Henry Thomas Hicks’ widow Mary Ann Hicks  of Thirroul who died at her residence on 23/2/1930
• 1939-40 – Son Henry Marshall Hicks moves to Cronulla
• 1940.10.19 – Marriage of Son Henry Marshall Hicks to Coral Gwen Douglas – will be 2 children Ian George and Eve Margaret
• 1944 – Death of wife Eva Kate aged 64 years in  Woollahra – were living at 46 Trevellyan St Cronulla at the time – Elsie was living at Brooklyn at time of her mother’s death in 1944 – Henry “Harry” Marshall Hicks (- ) living at Cronulla at time of his mother’s death in 1944 – a grandchild Ian George Hicks at the time of Eva’s death notice in 1944
• 1946 – Death of Henry Thomas Hicks Jnr at Kogarah a miner (refer his father’s will) but now described as retired military officer,  46 Trevellyan St Cronulla
• 1947 -3-5 – Sydney Morning Herald – probate of will of Henry Thomas Hicks Jnr
• 1955 – Death of son-in-law Robert Rankin in Parramatta
• 1971 – Death of daughter Elsie Rankin in Parramatta  
• Death of son Henry Marshall Hicks in Cronulla
• Death of daughter in law Coral Hicks in Cronulla