Albert Gill
| Albert Gill | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born |
8 September 1879 Birmingham, Warwickshire, England |
| Died |
27 July 1916 (aged 36) Delville Wood, France |
| Buried at | Delville Wood Commonwealth War Graves Commission Cemetery |
| Allegiance |
 United Kingdom |
| Service/branch |
 British Army |
| Rank | Sergeant |
| Service number | 2815 |
| Unit | King's Royal Rifle Corps |
| Battles/wars | World War I † |
| Awards |
_ribbon.png){kind=small} Victoria Cross |
Sergeant Albert Gill VC (8 September 1879 – 27 July 1916)[1] was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.
He was 36 years old, and a serjeant in the 1st Battalion, The King's Royal Rifle Corps, British Army during the First World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.
On 27 July 1916 at Battle of Delville Wood in France, the enemy made a very strong counterattack on the right flank of the battalion and rushed the bombing post after killing all the company bombers. Sergeant Gill rallied the remnants of his platoon, none of whom were skilled bombers, and reorganised his defences. Soon afterwards the enemy nearly surrounded his men and started sniping at about 20 yards range. Although it was almost certain death, Sergeant Gill stood boldly up in order to direct the fire of his men. He was killed almost at once, but his gallant action held up the enemy advance.[2]
Gill is buried at Delville Wood Commonwealth War Graves Commission Cemetery, Somme, France.[3]
The Medal
Gill's Victoria Cross is in the Lord Ashcroft VC Collection at the Imperial War Museum[4]
References
- ↑ "Kings Royal Rifle Association" (PDF). Retrieved March 11, 2013.
- ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 29802. p. 10395. 26 October 1916. Retrieved 10 April 2015.
- ↑ CWGC entry
- ↑ "Lord Ashcroft VC Collection". Retrieved March 11, 2013.
- Monuments to Courage (David Harvey, 1999)
- The Register of the Victoria Cross (This England, 1997)
- VCs of the First World War - The Somme (Gerald Gliddon, 1994)