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Aug 3, 1898
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Born in Cornwall, Ontario to Donald Joseph and
Elizabeth Maggie (nee McAlear) Gillies
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Apr 17, 1916
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Attested into the 154th Battalion in
Cornwall, Ontario
Ø Number 634060
Ø Next of kin given as Mr. Donald Gillies, father, Cornwall, Ontario
Ø Previous occupation given as Clerk
Ø No previous military experience given
Ø Religion given as Roman Catholic
On attestation, he lied about is age, stating
that he had been born April 28, 1897
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Oct 25, 1916
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Embarked the SS Mauretania in Halifax, Nova Scotia
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Oct 31, 1916
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Disembarked in Liverpool, England and the
battalion proceeded to East Sandling to continue training
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Jan 31, 1917
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The battalion was absorbed into the newly formed
6th Reserve Battalion at East Sandling to continue training. Shortly after this the reserve battalion moved to
Seaford
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Apr 17, 1917
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Transferred to the 21st Battalion
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Apr 18, 1917
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Arrived at the CBD (Canadian Base Depot) in the
Rouelles Camp, Havre, France as part of a draft of 85 reinforcements from England and TOS
(Taken On Strength) the 21st Battalion
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Apr 21, 1917
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He left the CBD and joined the 21st
Battalion in Division Support near Volker House, France and assigned to 10 Platoon, “C”
Company.
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Aug 15, 1917
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During the 21st Battalion’s
attack on Hill 70 the Germans put up very stiff resistance and there was heavy artillery
shelling and hand to hand combat at times. Private
Gillies was killed at the age of 19 by an enemy artillery shell while the battalion was
moving to the jump off point for the attack. He
was later buried by his comrades in a field near Hill 70, noted as being at Sheet
44a.N.7.central
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When the war ended, his temporary grave could
not be located and as a result, is commemorated on the walls of the Canadian National Vimy
Memorial, Vimy Ridge, France
Following the war the British War Medal, Victory
Medal, Plaque (Dead Man’s Penny) and Scroll were sent to his father, D.J. Gillies,
2274 Esplanade Ave., Montreal, Quebec.
The Memorial Cross was sent to his mother, Mrs.
D.J. Gillies, at the same address
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