CHESS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2915, 30 October 1916, Page 9

CHESS

AVJ3LL KNOWN PLAYEIt KILLED IN ACTION. Tho casualty lists published on Saturday announced the death of William Cowper Hill, one of the most prominent chess players of this City, who before leaving tho Homeland was a member of the Plymouth Chess Club. He joined tho Wellington Chess Club late in the year .1912, just in time to enter for the club's 1912-13 summer tourney, in which he won tho first prize (donated by Mr. A. G. Fell) with tho fine score of 9 wins 2 losses. In the year 1913 he competed in the club's annual ''Petherick'* tourney, and again took first prize, his tally being 8 wins and 2 losses. In the 19i4 "Petherick" tourney ho tied for second placo, dividing second and third prizes with Mr. P. Still (each scoring 5 wins 2 losses). Ho represented Wellington in two matches against Canterbury, winning his game with Mr. Lovell Smith in 1914, and drawing against. Mr. Shillito in. 1915. He was also successful when playing in focal sides matchos. In December, 1914, no represented his club at tho ChristcJiurch Congress, and made a very ereditablo showing in this his first (and only) bid for the New Zealand Championship. And now a few words about the late Mr. Hill as an office-bearer. The members of tho Wellington Chess Club very quickly recognised his value and sterling worth, and so it was that before, he had been in. the club a year he held no less than four offices, viz., hon. secretary; hon. treasurer, Match Committeeman, and delegate to N.Z. Chess Association. For many months the attendances at the club-room were so small as to be almost "heart-break-ing," hut Mr. Hill toiled on hopefully and cheerfully, and managed to keep the. old club together, a task that would have been much easier if the members had not so persistently, neglected the obvious duties of membership. When, therefore, Mr. Hill, who was employed on the correspondence staff in the local office of the U.S.S. Co., enlisted and joined the 11th Reinforcements, the club was very hard hit. Fortunately for the Vilub the tide had turned, and better days were then being experi-' enced. His letters from France have always been cheerful and most interesting. Latterly he had been in the Signalling Division, having inade a special study of day and night signalling before leaving England. Th 6 sad news of his death (which occurred on September 17) came as a great shock to jocal chess players, who had been looking forward to giving him a right royal "welcome homo" in due course. An impromptu committee meeting was held at the rooms of tho Wellington Chess Club on Saturday evening, when it was decided to send a letter of condolence to Mr. Hill's father, who is residing at Looe, in Cornwall.