Thomas Melville Dill
Encyclopedia
Colonel Thomas Melville Dill OBE
was a prominent Bermudian
lawyer. He was born in Devonshire
, in the British colony of Bermuda
, on 23 December, 1876, to Thomas Newbold Dill and Mary Lea Smith Dill. He was named for a seafaring forbear, who had lost his master's certicicate after the wreck of the Bermudian-built Cedrine on the Isle of Wight
, which had been returning the last convict labourers from the Royal Naval Dockyard
in Bermuda
to Britain
in 1863.
Thomas Dill entered the fledgling Bermuda Volunteer Rifle Corps
during the last decade of the 19th Century as a rifleman, before transferring to the Bermuda Militia Artillery
, a reserve of the Royal Regiment of Artillery, as a Lieutenant
. By 1914, Major Dill was the Commanding Officer, but he handed that position to a subordinate in order to lead the unit's First Contingent to the Western Front
. Serving as part of the larger Royal Garrison Artillery
draft to the front, the Bermudian contingent was strongly praised by Field Marshal Haig
.
After the War, Major Dill returned to Bermuda, resuming his command of the BMA, and pursuing his legal career, becoming Bermuda's Attorney General
.
Major Dill married Ruth Rapalje Neilson on the 15 October, 1900, and they had several children who followed him to positions of prominence in Bermuda. One daughter, Diana Dill
, moved to the USA, becoming an actress. She was married to actor Kirk Douglas
, with whom she had two sons, including actor and Producer Michael Douglas
.
Colonel Dill died of a heart attack on the 7 March, 1945, following injuries sustained during a fall in February, being eulogised on the front page of The Royal Gazette
.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
was a prominent Bermudian
Bermudian
Bermudian or Bermudan may refer to:* Something of, or related to Bermuda* A person from Bermuda, or of Bermudian descent. For information about the Bermudian people, see Demographics of Bermuda and Culture of Bermuda. For specific Bermudians, see List of Bermudians.* Bermudian English, the variety...
lawyer. He was born in Devonshire
Devonshire Parish, Bermuda
-Location:It is located in the centre of the territory, close to the junction between the main part of the main island and the peninsula containing the capital, Hamilton, and Pembroke Parish . To the northeast, it is joined to Smith's Parish, and to the southwest it borders Paget Parish. As with...
, in the British colony of Bermuda
Bermuda
Bermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
, on 23 December, 1876, to Thomas Newbold Dill and Mary Lea Smith Dill. He was named for a seafaring forbear, who had lost his master's certicicate after the wreck of the Bermudian-built Cedrine on the Isle of Wight
Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight is a county and the largest island of England, located in the English Channel, on average about 2–4 miles off the south coast of the county of Hampshire, separated from the mainland by a strait called the Solent...
, which had been returning the last convict labourers from the Royal Naval Dockyard
Royal Naval Dockyard, Bermuda
HMD Bermuda was the principal base of the Royal Navy in the Western Atlantic between American independence and the Cold War. Bermuda had occupied a useful position astride the homeward leg taken by many European vessels from the New World since before its settlement by England in 1609...
in Bermuda
Bermuda
Bermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
to Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
in 1863.
Thomas Dill entered the fledgling Bermuda Volunteer Rifle Corps
Bermuda Volunteer Rifle Corps
The Bermuda Volunteer Rifle Corps was created in 1894 as an all-white racially segregated reserve for the British Regular Army infantry component of the Bermuda Garrison...
during the last decade of the 19th Century as a rifleman, before transferring to the Bermuda Militia Artillery
Bermuda Militia Artillery
The Bermuda Militia Artillery was a unit of part-time soldiers organised in 1895 as a reserve for the Royal Garrison Artillery detachment of the Regular Army garrison in Bermuda.-Foundation:...
, a reserve of the Royal Regiment of Artillery, as a Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
. By 1914, Major Dill was the Commanding Officer, but he handed that position to a subordinate in order to lead the unit's First Contingent to the Western Front
Western Front
Western Front was a term used during the First and Second World Wars to describe the contested armed frontier between lands controlled by Germany to the east and the Allies to the west...
. Serving as part of the larger Royal Garrison Artillery
Royal Garrison Artillery
The Royal Garrison Artillery was an arm of the Royal Artillery that was originally tasked with manning the guns of the British Empire's forts and fortresses, including coastal artillery batteries, the heavy gun batteries attached to each infantry division, and the guns of the siege...
draft to the front, the Bermudian contingent was strongly praised by Field Marshal Haig
Douglas Haig, 1st Earl Haig
Field Marshal Douglas Haig, 1st Earl Haig, KT, GCB, OM, GCVO, KCIE, ADC, was a British senior officer during World War I. He commanded the British Expeditionary Force from 1915 to the end of the War...
.
After the War, Major Dill returned to Bermuda, resuming his command of the BMA, and pursuing his legal career, becoming Bermuda's Attorney General
Attorney General
In most common law jurisdictions, the attorney general, or attorney-general, is the main legal advisor to the government, and in some jurisdictions he or she may also have executive responsibility for law enforcement or responsibility for public prosecutions.The term is used to refer to any person...
.
Major Dill married Ruth Rapalje Neilson on the 15 October, 1900, and they had several children who followed him to positions of prominence in Bermuda. One daughter, Diana Dill
Diana Dill
Diana Love Dill is a Bermudian actress, active in the U.S., who has also appeared professionally under the names Diana Douglas and Diana Douglas Darrid.-Personal life:...
, moved to the USA, becoming an actress. She was married to actor Kirk Douglas
Kirk Douglas
Kirk Douglas is an American stage and film actor, film producer and author. His popular films include Out of the Past , Champion , Ace in the Hole , The Bad and the Beautiful , Lust for Life , Paths of Glory , Gunfight at the O.K...
, with whom she had two sons, including actor and Producer Michael Douglas
Michael Douglas
Michael Kirk Douglas is an American actor and producer, primarily in movies and television. He has won three Golden Globes and two Academy Awards; first as producer of 1975's Best Picture, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, and as Best Actor in 1987 for his role in Wall Street. Douglas received the...
.
Colonel Dill died of a heart attack on the 7 March, 1945, following injuries sustained during a fall in February, being eulogised on the front page of The Royal Gazette
The Royal Gazette
The Royal Gazette, founded in 1828, is the only daily newspaper in the island nation of Bermuda. It is published Mondays through Saturdays; there is no Sunday edition....
.