245233 Sgt. David Gillis Royal Air Force (Volunteer Reserves) 90 Squadron from:Victoria Terrace, Portadown, Co. Armagh (d.22nd June 1943) David Gillis was the son of John and Elizabeth Gillis of 31 Victoria Terrace Portadown, born on 4th December 1918. The 1911 Irish Census place John Gillis at the above address and lists a family of 2 daughters and 2 sons at that time. Educated at Thomas Street Public Elementary School and Portadown Technical School, David was a Sergeant in the 1st Portadown Boys Brigade and played football for Parkmount Football Club. He was employed by Hamilton Robb and was a member of Loyal Orange Lodge 127. David was trained in Canada under the Empire Air Training Scheme and met and married his wife there in 1942. His wife and baby daughter, whom he never saw, resided at Monkton New Brunswick. On his return to England he was posted to 90 Squadron of Bomber Command. Sergeant Gillis was one of a crew of 7 in a Stirling Mark 3 serial number EE887 WP-T. The other crew members were:- - Pilot Officer H.N. Peters RAAF
- Sergeant D.J. Davies RAF
- Sergeant E. Bradshaw RAF
- Sergeant B.A. Abraham RAF
- Sergeant A.S. Andrews RAF
- Sergeant R.R. Law RCAF
Their aircraft took off from West Wickham at 2345 hrs on 21st June 1943 on a bombing mission to Krefeld, Germany. The aircraft was shot down in the early hours of 22nd June by a night fighter, later identified as the German fighter ace Hauptmann H.J. Jabs, and crashed at Hoogwoud, North Holland with the loss of all of the crew. All were buried in Bergen General Cemetery in the Netherlands. David is also commemorated on Portadown War Memorial and on the Memorial in Thomas Street Methodist Church as well as on the Memorial of 1st Portadown Boys Brigade Company Old Boys Association.
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