William Charles Stanley (Charlie) Gillard
Memorial: Badminton Memorial Hall - Hayes Lane
Regiment: Royal Navy
Medals: 1939–45 Star, War Medal 1939–1945
Rank and number: Leading Seaman D/ JX 154804
Parents: Oliver and Elizabeth Gillard
Home address: Station Road, Badminton, Bristol
Date of birth: 29/04/1921
Date of death: 19/12/1941
Buried/Commemorated at: Died at sea. Commemorated on Plymouth Naval memorial and family headstone in St Michael and All Angels Churchyard
Age: 20
Further information:
Son of a farm labourer/cowman he had 7 siblings - 6 sisters and an older brother Harry, who died on war service in 1940. Charlie served on the HMS Stanley, a destroyer which was part of the 36th Escort Group working in the North Atlantic protecting merchant shipping. At 04.15 hours on 19 Dec 1941 the HMS Stanley was hit by 2 torpedoes from U-boat 574 and sank immediately 330 miles west of Cape Sines, Portugal. Charlie died along with 11 officers and 124 other ratings.
By kind permission, this information is based on the following source(s):
This information has been provided by Sarah Hands, Volunteer Researcher for the South Gloucestershire War Memorials Web Site.
By kind permission, this information is based on the following source(s):
https://www.cwgc.org/
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/
https://www.findmypast.co.uk/
https://www.forces-war-records.co.uk/
https://www.militaryimages.net/media//henry-oliver-john-harry-gillard.123563/
https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/ship/1228.html
https://www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?15950