264907 Stwd. Neil Campbell Gillespie Royal Navy HMS Glory from:158 Gallowhill Road, Paisley Neil Gillespie served on HMS Glory 22nd of February 1945 until 30th of January 1946, having previously served on HMS Victory and HMS Nelson.
His initial training posting was at HMS Glendower in North Wales a shore based facility which subsequently became a Butlins Holiday Camp and later a Haven Holiday Centre.
Neil was serving on HMS Glory at the time of the surrender of the Japanese forces in the South West Pacific on 6th of September 1945. The surrender was solemnised at a signing ceremony on board HMS Glory on the flight deck.
There is footage of the ceremony shown elsewhere on the internet. Amongst Neil's papers there are photographs of the signing ceremony and a copy of the Instrument of Surrender.
Following his service on HMS Glory, Neil spent his last few months of Naval service on HMS Victory before returning to civilian life with a class A release. He returned to his family in Paisley where he lived with his wife Margaret and his baby son Alexander, usually called Alistair in the family.
Later the family included Jean, Neil, Margaret and Iain.
Neil worked with Allison the Butcher in Paisley and at King Aircraft at Hillington in Glasgow as a progress manager.
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