In 1915 Richard started a new life.

About one year old, the infant Richard and his mother Laura sailed to America - they were going to live with his grandpaents (the Males), in New Jersey.

This probably came about due to the loss of his father in WW1 (Frederick Hill, a private in the Worcestershire Regiment, was killed in action on the 16th May, 1915).

It is not known if Richard met his father (who had enlisted in August 1914, shortly before the birth).

Laura's father and mother had emigrated in 1914, and settled in New Jersey.

She (and Richard) would live with them until the mid to late 1920s.

About this time Laura married Leslie Throssell, and moved to Maplewood Township.

Leslie's divorced wife (Teresa) and son (Leslie Jr) lived nearby.

Richard Hill was now using the name Archie - this is how he appears on the 1930 US Federal Census of 1930 (as Leslie Throssell's step son).

Laura and Archie would make a return trip to England in the 1950s, to the place of their births (the area around Quarry Bank, in Staffordshire).

The author's father met them then, but was unsure what relationship to him they were.

It was only in 2009, following research into the Hill family tree, that this writer was able to confirm who Laura and "Archie" were.

Sadly, my father (Derek Hill), died shortly after this relevation.

One thing now remains - to try and find Richard/Archie's family and establish contact.

(Richard is thought to have passed away in the early 1970s in Florida).

Richard F A (Archie) Hill