Three: Lieutenant C. E. G. Gill, Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force, who flew with 34 and 139 Squadrons on the Italian Front, and was forced down and taken prisoner of war, 23 August 1918

British War and Victory Medals (Lieut. C. E. G. Gill. R.A.F.); Italy, Kingdom, War Cross, bronze, unnamed as issued, generally good very fine or better (3) £300-£400

Italy, War Cross London Gazette 8 February 1919.

Cecil Ernest Gaspar Gill was born in May 1897, the son of the Reverend A. T. Gill of West Wittering Vicarage, near Chichester, Sussex, and was educated at St. John’s School, Leatherhead. He was one of 11 children, 5 of whom served during the Great War, and also the younger brother of the Arts and Crafts movement sculptor Eric Gill.

Gill was commissioned Second Lieutenant in Cambridgeshire Regiment, and advanced to Lieutenant in July 1917. He transferred to the Royal Flying Corps in the same year, and advanced to Flying Officer in the Royal Air Force in March 1918. After carrying out training, Gill was posted as a pilot to 34 Squadron (Bristol F.2b’s) at Villaverla, northern Italy in May 1918.

The Squadron was primarily tasked with reconnaissance and bomber operations, and was heavily engaged in air fighting on the Piave against the Austrian offensive which started on 15 June 1918. On the second day of the offensive Gill and his Observer’s (Lieutenant T. Newey) aircraft was badly shot up and damaged by anti-aircraft fire.

Gill transferred to the newly formed 139 Squadron (Bristol F.2b’s), also at Villaverla, in July 1918. He was flying with Newey on a reconnaissance, 23 August 1918, when his aircraft gear was shot away. Gill was forced to land, and both he and his observer were taken prisoner of war. He was repatriated in November 1918, and discharged in April 1919. In later life he was both ordained, and became a doctor of medicine.

Sold with extensive copied research.

Italian War Cross is bronze as issued, not silver