James Elmer Gillis, F82234, 4th Anti-Tank Regt RCA

Good Afternoon
Looking for information about Gunner J.E. Gillis. 4th A/TK Regiment.
I'm an editor of the News Bulletin for RCL Branch 005 the Liberation of the Netherlands.
Working on a column of 9 Canadians who were awarded Knight 4th Class in the Military Order of William.
Concerning J.E. Gillis the nomination in Dutch is rather scare.
Can anybody help me and provide information ?
Thanks in advance.
Herman Sligman

 

https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/disco...als-1812-1969/Pages/item.aspx?IdNumber=61435&

Item - Library and Archives Canada

There is (I think) an option to order a copy if you wish, maybe some of our Canadian members will be able to help more

TD

 

Thanks for quick response.

 

Hello,

You weren't the only one looking for Gnr Gillis. In December of 1970, a Major Richard Malott was also looking for him. See news clipping from the Edmonton Journal (attached). Major Malott is deceased 2020.

I've also attached the citation for Gillis' Militaire Willems Order, Knight 4th Class

Gillis, James Elmer

• Last Name: Gillis
• First Name: James Elmer
• Medal Type: Militaire Willems Order, Knight 4th Class
• Month Awarded: September
• Year Awarded: 1945
• Rank at time of award: Gnr
• Corp: 2 Cdn
• Division: 5 Cdn Armd
• Brigade:
• Unit: 4 Cdn A Tk Regt
• Sub-Unit: RCA
• Remarks: Netherlands Award

Finally, James Elmer Gillis died in the Dawson Creek and District Hospital in Dawson Creek, British Columbia on 14 November 1986. Death registration attached. You'll note no cause of death given.

Regards,

Dave

 

Whow. That s wide more than I expected

Much obliged. Stay safe in bizarre times.

 

Hello everybody,
I'm looking for information about the equipment of the above mentioned unit.
Gunner James Elmer Gillis was awarded the Military Order of William 4th Class.
As far as I know he was a tank commander. If so, which tank? Was it a self propelled gun? A Sexton?

Looking forward for a reaction.
Thanks in advance.

 

Have you tried using the forum search engine

4th Canadian Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery

Might be something here - A2012.125.054 - History of the 4 Canadian Anti Tank Regiment Royal Canadian Artillery 1940-1945 : history of the 98th (Bruce) Anti- Tank Battery : history of the RCA 5th Canadian Armoured Division

TD

 

Thanks.

 

Here are the locations of the war diaries for the 4th Canadian Anti-Tank Regiment, RCA
4th Anti-Tank Regiment RCA

T-16456 - pp. 1537-1638 (1_Nov_41-31_Dec_41)
War diaries : T-16456 - Héritage

T-16457 - pp. 9-1525 (1_Jan_42-30_Sep_43)
War diaries : T-16457 - Héritage

T-16715 - pp. 10-1479 (1_Oct_43-1_Jul_45)
War diaries : T-16715 - Héritage

T-16716 - pp. 10-167 (1_Jul_45-11_Sep_45)
War diaries : T-16716 - Héritage

 

Herman, je vindt de dagboeken alhier,
You will find the Wardairies here....

5th Armoured Brigade
Westminster Regiment Motor
4th Anti Tank

From the Westminster Reg Diary; 15 April
It was here that Lieut. J.A. Cambrldge,M.C. commander of an anti-tank platoon attached
from Sp Coy, was killed while engaged in a wood clearing...............

If you need help, just let me know.

 

Heritage T files great archive, but you will find more and more the diaries at Library and Archives Canada, easy acces and download if needed.
But dont forget this Heritage website.

 

http://www.cmp-cpm.forces.gc.ca/dhh-dhp/gal/cao-aco/doc/D1_FOX-GRA_073.pdf

 

Without a doubt he would have used an M10, quite possibly an M10 with 17-pounder gun ("Achilles"). Colloquially it might get called a tank but it wasn't really. Open-topped, manual turret traverse, and a thing to keep in mind is that the training of the men would have been different. The only machine gun was .50 Browning that could be mounted on the top of the rear of the turret - thus it could not really be fired safely from inside the vehicle.

 

Wow, that means a lot of reading. Thanks.

 

Thanks for the information.

 

Yes,this was the info I already found. Was wondering which self-propelled gun. Thanks .

 

Can’t help with exactly WHICH SP he would have been in.....but attached is a pictorial view of the Authorized War Establishment 1945 of a Canadian Armoured Division AT Regiment. This show’s that he would have been in 3rd or 4th Battery, which would have had M-10 (either 3” or 17 pounders)

 

I “think” 98 Battery and 82 Battery were the SP Batteries in the Regiment (have to confirm unless someone else can)..........so to look in the War Dairies, check the April 45 war diaries and make sure you look at 98 and 82 Battery sections in the war diaries. I’ve taken a quick look, and the Regiment DID submit “war diaries pages” for EACH of the Batteries and Regimental HQ. I’ve taken a quick read, and I can’t determine (yet) which of the Actions that his award may be based on......if you CAN determine which action, they do specify which TROOP’s took part, so you may at least identify his Troop number “possibly”......

 

Post 13 explains

TD