Sergeant Albert Gill

1st Battalion The King's Royal Rifle Corps

Born: 8 September 1879 - Hospital Street, Birmingham.

Died: KIA Delville Wood, France, 27 July 1916.

Buried: Delville Wood Cemetery. Plot IV. Row C. Grave 3.
Headstone.

CITATION

For most conspicuous bravery. On the 27th July 1916 at Delville Wood, 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. Sergeant 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, Sergeant 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.