THE VICTORIA CROSS AWARDED TO SERGEANT ALBERT GILL, 1ST BN, KING'S ROYAL RIFLE CORPS HAS BEEN SOLD AT AUCTION BY DIX, NOONAN, WEBB.
29 March 2000


( select to enlarge )
Medal entitlement of Sergeant Albert Gill,
1st Bn, King's Royal Rifle Corps

  • Victoria Cross
  • 1914 Star
  • British War Medal ( 1914-20 )
  • Victory Medal ( 1914-19 )


The Victoria Cross and campaign medals awarded to Sergeant Albert Gill were sold at auction on 29 March 2000 by the auctioneers Dix Noonan Webb for a hammer price of £60,000. The VC group was purchased on behalf of the Michael Ashcroft Trust, the holding institution for Lord Ashcroft's VC Collection. The Albert Gill VC group is on display at the Lord Ashcroft Gallery, Imperial War Museum, London.


For the award of the Victoria Cross

[ London Gazette, 26 October 1916 ], Delville Wood, France, 27 July 1916, Sergeant Albert Gill, 1st Bn, King's Royal Rifle Corps.

For most conspicuous bravery ( Delville Wood, France ).

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.

The widow of Albert Gill was presented with his Victoria Cross by King George V at Buckingham Palace on the 29th November 1916.


Albert Gill is buried in the Delville Wood Cemetery, Albert, France.

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Iain Stewart, 29 March 2000