Service No. R87580
Royal Canadian Air Force #31 Operational Training Unit
Died: October 25, 1941
Doug was born March 3, 1919 in Anyox, BC, the son of Roy Reuben Gill and Lillian Marie Myllymaki (Mackie). He had an older half-brother.
In the 1920s, the family moved to Blaney’s Crossing, Saltair. Doug attended high school in Ladysmith, graduating in 1936. He was a popular student, well known for playing the piano. He then took a bookkeeping course and got a job as a bookkeeper at the Chemainus mill.
On August 10, 1940, Doug enlisted in the Army. His army service number was K479588.
On December 28, 1940, Doug joined the RCAF. Doug trained on the Prairies as a wireless operator / air gunner. He was promoted to sergeant on completion of his initial training.
On September 21, 1941, Doug married Lorraine Marguerite Squire of Nanaimo in Chemainus. Their marriage lasted slightly more than a month. They had no children. Lorraine later remarried.
At the end of September, 1941, Doug was posted to Debert, Nova Scotia for more training. On October 25, 1941, Doug and two other airmen were on a cross-country training flight in Lockheed Hudson twin engine bomber #AM886. While flying through fog and snow in upper New York state, the bomber crashed near Big Tupper Lake, Altamont (now Tupper Lake), New York, killing all on board. Doug’s body was recovered. After a funeral service at Calvary Baptist Church in Chemainus, a funeral procession of over 300 cars made their way to Ladysmith Cemetery where he was buried. Doug is the only WW2 casualty buried in Ladysmith Cemetery.
Doug is commemorated on the Ladysmith Cenotaph and in the 1941-42 and 1942-43 editions of the Spion Kop, the Ladysmith High School annual.
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