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John Gillies

John was born in Belfast in 1889. He was the son of John and Jessie Gillies and brother of Helen, Maggie, Alexander, Jessie, Agnes, Charles, Annie, Andrew and Phyllis. The family lived at 7 Plassey Square. John was an optician’s assistant. He served in “A” Company, 28th Battalion (Saskatchewan Regiment), the Canadian Infantry and died on 6th June 1916 aged 28.
http://www.friendsofstaugustines.org/roll-of-honour/mini-histories/

Is the name Phyllis correct?

Questtion regarding the names.
Alec and Jack? (maybe nicknames for Alexander and John?)

https://penarthnews.wordpress.com/2014/10/18/penarth-commemorates-the-centenary-of-the-first-world-war/

ONE OF PENARTH’S PATRIOTIC FAMILIES

One of the news clippings discovered by Mr Payne is headed “One of Penarth’s Patriotic Families”  and is the remarkable account of just one Penarth family – the Gillies family of 7 Plassey Square, Penarth – who  had no less than four of its siblings  – three brothers and a sister – with the forces in France.

Alec Gillies, the eldest of them, had emigrated to Canada but returned for the war to serve with the 1st Canadians and was wounded twice and gassed three times.

His brother Jack Gillies had also emigrated to Canada but, like his brother, returned to serve with the 2nd Canadians . Jack was reported to have been killed on June 6th 1916.

The third brother Charlie Gillies had been one of the first to join up. He was badly wounded in the battle for Dardanelles, invalided home, recovered and volunteered to return to active service – which he did in 1916. In March 1917 he was wounded and gassed, sustained wounds in both legs and had to have his left arm amputated. He was  brought home again to the Red Cross Hospital at Knighton, Radnorshire where the newspaper reported he was in a “critical condition”.

The fourth member of the Gillies family on active service was a sister of the three brothers, Agnes Gillies – who served in France with the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps.