A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Gill, Joseph Collings
GILL. (Commander, 1842. f-p., 18; h-p., 24.)
Joseph Collings Gill has lost several near relatives in the service.
This officer entered the Navy, 31 March, 1805, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Achille 74, Capts. Rich. King, John Hayes, Hon. Geo. Heneage Lawrence Dundas, and Aiskew Paffard Hollis; with whom, successively, he continued to serve, latterly as Lieutenant (commission dated 21 March, 1812) until Jan. 1814. During that period he fought, as Midshipman, at the battle of Trafalgar, 21 Oct. 1805; was with a squadron under Sir Sam. Hood at the capture of four French frigates off Rochefort, 25 Sept. 1806; commanded the second boat that effected a landing on the island of Walcheren during the hostile operations of 1809; and, for upwards of eight months, in 1810-11, was day and night employed with the flotilla at the defence of Cadiz. He also took part in a variety of other hazardous services; and being intrusted, in 1813, at a period when the plague was raging at Malta, with the charge of the shore duty on that island, contracted a disease which nearly terminated his existence. Lieut. Gill’s subsequent appointments were – 3 May, 1814, as Senior, to the Goldfinch 10, Capt. Edm. Waller, in the Channel – 7 Oct. 1815, to the Rochfort 80, Capt. Sir Arch. Collingwood Dickson, at Portsmouth, where he was paid off 26 Aug. 1818 – 29 Oct. 1823, and 2 April, 1824, to the command of the Kite and Vandeleur Revenue-vessels – 31 Aug. 1837, as First, to the President 52, flag-ship in the Pacific of Rear-Admiral Chas. Bayne Hodgson Ross – 1 July, 1839, in a similar capacity, to the Electra 20, Capt. Edw. R, P. Mainwaring, on the same station – l Wov. 1839, to the command there of the Basilisk 6 – and, 27 Nov. 1841, again to the President, in which he returned home and was paid off 14 May, 1842. During the period of his servitude in the Pacific Mr. Gill appears to have been the oldest Lieutenant employed in a sea-going ship. He conducted, while in the Basilisk, various services of secrecy and importance; and during the revolution he received the thanks of the French Consul, who placed himself and the French marine under his protection. Since his last promotion, 19 Aug. 1842, Commander Gill has been on half-pay.