GILL

William John ( son of Robert Gill, major Madras army ). b. Bangalore 10 Sep. 1843; ed. at Brighton college and R.M. academy, Woolwich; 2 lieut. R.E. 11 Nov. 1864, captain 21 Dec. 1877 to death; travelled in Persia with col. Valentine Baker 1873; contested Hackney 1874, Nottingham 1880; travelled in China and Tibet 1876–78; gold medallist of R.G.S. 26 May 1879; gold medallist of Paris geographical society 1880; author of The river of golden sand 2 vols. 1880; started from Suez for the desert 8 Aug. 1882, murdered by Bedouins at Wady Sudr 11 Aug. 1882. bur. in the crypt of St. Paul’s cath. 6 April 1883, stained gla memorial window in Rochester cathedral. W. J. Gill’s River of golden sand , new ed. (1883) pp. 19–66, portrait ; Graphic xxvi , 469 (1882), portrait .