Cemetery: Delville Wood Cemetery Longueval

Country: France

Area: Somme

Rank: Serjeant

Force: Army

Official Number: 2815

Unit: 1st Bn. King's Royal Rifle Corps.

Country of Service: British

Details: V C 27th July 1916. Age 36. Son of Harry and Sophia Gill of Birmingham England; husband of Rosetta Gill (nee Smith). IV. C. 3. An extract from The London Gazette dated 24th Oct. 1916 records the following :-For most conspicuous bravery. The enemy made a very strong counter-attack on the right flank of the battalion and rushed the bombing post after killing all the company bombers. Serjeant Gill at once rallied the remnants of his platoon none of whom were skilled bombers and reorganised his defences a most difficult and dangerous task the trench being very shallow and much damaged. Soon afterwards the enemy nearly surrounded his men by creeping up through the thick undergrowth and commenced sniping at about twenty yards' range. Although it was almost certain death Serjeant Gill stood boldly up in order to direct the fire of his men. He was killed almost at once but not before he had shown his men where the enemy were and thus enabled them to hold up their advance. By his supreme devotion to duty and self-sacrifice he saved a very dangerous situation."

Photograph by Op Tribute / David Milborrow