[Civilian] Brian Patrick Hirst Gill
Description:
Born:
31 July 1940, Hong Kong
Death:
Unknown
Pre-war:
Brian was the son of Louise Mary ‘Billie’ Newman and Arthur Hirst ‘Paddy’ Gill, a warrant officer with the Royal Army Ordnance Corps. In the spring of 1940, Paddy was posted away from Hong Kong, being sent to France with the British Expeditionary Force. After he retreated through Dunkirk, he was sent to Burma for the rest of the war.
Wartime:
Brian and his mother stayed on the Peak during the fighting and were then interned at Stanley Civilian Internment Camp. Children typically enjoyed the Camp experience, finding the general freedom (even within such a confined area) liberating, with plenty of time to play. Very young children like Brian could remember little of pre-war life, and settled down well. Paddy Gill had been a pre-war friend of the Redwood family, and in Barbara Anslow’s (nee Redwood) diary, she notes: “1 Aug 42: Olive and I went to see Mrs Billie Gill and Brian who was 2 years old yesterday, in Bungalow B. Brian looks mostly like his mother, but he has Paddy’s mouth and teeth. Very big and talkative for his age”. But on Tuesday 9 May 1944, Brian wanted to go and play on the beach, and as his mother was busy she arranged for one of the Catholic Action group to take care of Brian there for a few hours. While his minders chatted, Brian was playing with a slightly older boy. Exactly what happened next was not established, but he drowned in the fresh water pool at the beach. His funeral next day was well attended. Father Meyer made him a coffin out of the drawer from a chest-of-drawers, lining it with bunched-up white satin, and all the children sang: ‘Heaven is the Prize’.
Post-war:
Brian today lies buried in Stanley Military Cemetery with several other children who died in the Camp, many of whom have equally complex (as family members) and simple (as children) stories to tell. Billie and Paddy divorced after the war.
Further Reading:
Searching for Billie, Ian Gill. Tin Hats and Rice, Barbara Anslow.
Born:
31 July 1940, Hong Kong
Death:
Unknown
Pre-war:
Brian was the son of Louise Mary ‘Billie’ Newman and Arthur Hirst ‘Paddy’ Gill, a warrant officer with the Royal Army Ordnance Corps. In the spring of 1940, Paddy was posted away from Hong Kong, being sent to France with the British Expeditionary Force. After he retreated through Dunkirk, he was sent to Burma for the rest of the war.
Wartime:
Brian and his mother stayed on the Peak during the fighting and were then interned at Stanley Civilian Internment Camp. Children typically enjoyed the Camp experience, finding the general freedom (even within such a confined area) liberating, with plenty of time to play. Very young children like Brian could remember little of pre-war life, and settled down well. Paddy Gill had been a pre-war friend of the Redwood family, and in Barbara Anslow’s (nee Redwood) diary, she notes: “1 Aug 42: Olive and I went to see Mrs Billie Gill and Brian who was 2 years old yesterday, in Bungalow B. Brian looks mostly like his mother, but he has Paddy’s mouth and teeth. Very big and talkative for his age”. But on Tuesday 9 May 1944, Brian wanted to go and play on the beach, and as his mother was busy she arranged for one of the Catholic Action group to take care of Brian there for a few hours. While his minders chatted, Brian was playing with a slightly older boy. Exactly what happened next was not established, but he drowned in the fresh water pool at the beach. His funeral next day was well attended. Father Meyer made him a coffin out of the drawer from a chest-of-drawers, lining it with bunched-up white satin, and all the children sang: ‘Heaven is the Prize’.
Post-war:
Brian today lies buried in Stanley Military Cemetery with several other children who died in the Camp, many of whom have equally complex (as family members) and simple (as children) stories to tell. Billie and Paddy divorced after the war.
Further Reading:
Searching for Billie, Ian Gill. Tin Hats and Rice, Barbara Anslow.
Sources: Photo: Tony Banham
