Ernest Sydney Lill was born on 19th April 1885 to John Tom Lill and Mary Ann Lill nee Regan in Camberwell, London. He was christened at St John The Divine in Kennington. He was a butcher by trade, based in Hammersmith, and married Julia Austin on 2nd August 1914 at St Paul, Paddington, just before going to war. He almost made it but was caught up in the German advance of 21st March 1918 where he was mortally injured and died the same day. He has no known grave.

Rowan Lill