Page 29 - Sylvia Malt - Side by Side

Captain Robert Laurence PILLMAN, 10th Battalion, Royal West Kent Regiment
1893 - 1916

Robert was the third son of Joseph Pillman JP, County Councillor, of the Cottage, Church
Road, Foots Cray. After leaving the world-renowned Rugby School, Robert was articled to
solicitors in London. Both Robert and his brother, Charles, were enthusiastic sportsmen,
and Robert played rugby football for Blackheath for seven seasons, gaining his
International Cap for England against France in 1914. Charles was already established as
an international rugby star and very well known by the rugby fraternity and its enthusiastic
supporters. Early in 1914, before the War, he had played for England XV in a match against
Scotland.

Enlisting in the 10th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers, Robert Pillman was later transferred to the
10th Battalion, Royal West Kent Regiment. He was promoted to Lieutenant in 1915 and to
Captain in 1916. In May 1916, Captain Pillman left with his Regiment for the Front and took
part in the notorious Battle of the Somme.

On 9th July 1916 he was tragically shot by a sniper whilst bringing his men back from a
raid at night and died from his wounds just hours later. The Evening Standard Newspaper
mistakenly reported that his brother, Charles, had died and had to retract the statement in
the next day’s issue. In his will he left the sum of £98.

In Memoriam: Buried in the Calvaire (Essex) Military Cemetery, France which was begun
in November 1914. It was established beside a building known as Essex House and is an
example of a regimental cemetery, many of which were made in 1914/1915.

Lieutenant Colonel Hugh Trevor CRISPIN, Commander, 2nd Battalion, Royal
Sussex Regiment 1868 - 1914

Inside St. James’ Church there is a memorial erected to the memory of Lt. Col. Hugh Trevor
Crispin, who was commanding 2nd Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment. Hugh Crispin was
the nephew of Rev. Johnston, the long-serving vicar of St. James Church, who grew up in
Danson House. Born 1868 in London, the son of Alfred Trevor Crispin (a Civil Servant in the
Legal Department of the Treasury), Hugh Crispin was educated at Trinity College,
Cambridge. He chose a career in the Army and served principally with the Northumberland
Fusiliers, a mounted infantry.

During the Boer War (South Africa) between 1899-1901 Hugh Crispin played a major part in
the battles, especially in Johannesburg, Pretoria and Diamond Hill. The Boer Wars were
primarily about who would rule in South Africa and gain the benefit of the gold fields. The
Dutch Boer fighters were basically a guerrilla army with intimate knowledge of the
terrain. after several setbacks, particularly the siege of Mafeking, the British Army brought
in massive extra troops and outnumbered the Boer fighters four to one. The battles
primarily commenced late 1899, and Lt. Col. Crispin was recommended for a VC for action
on 3rd December 1899.

Setting out from Orange Grove with one of General Gordon's 3rd Cavalry Brigade, it was
attacked by Boer forces in the neighbourhood of Bapsfontein and forced to retreat. Lt. Col.
Hugh Crispin was unfortunately severely wounded on 20th June 1900 at Bapsfontein and
returned to the United Kingdom for medical treatment. Once recovered, he was first based
at Aldershot, Hampshire and then from 1907 at the Army Officer Training Centre at
Sandhurst in Surrey.

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