Victor was born on 26 January 1898 and was the sixth child of the seven children of Charles and Emma (née Warren) Gillett, with three brothers Henry T (1881), Willie (1885), Frank (1891) and sisters Ida (1883), Iris L (1896) Eva K (1900) completing the family unit.

He joined the Royal Navy on 20 May 1913 at the age of 15 years and 4 months when he crossed the gangway of HMS IMPREGNABLE, the “Boy Training Ship” in Devonport dockyard, and signed on as a Boy Second Class. On 23 September he had a short move to HMS POWERFUL, a sister training ship in Devonport, and on 21 November a draft to HMS GANGES in Shotley, Suffolk, where on 23 June 1914  he was advanced to Boy First Class. The next day he joined HMS GRAFTON, and on 2 August made his first visit to HMS VICTORY 1, the Royal Naval Barracks in Portsmouth before a draft to HMS DREADNOUGHT on 31 October 1914.

On 7 August 1915 he was advanced to Ordinary Seaman and on 15 April 1916 to Able Seaman, with a return to VICTORY 1 on 7 August 1918.  On 22 September he was drafted to HMS DOLPHIN for submarine training and on to HMS ROYAL ARTHUR on 11 November 1918.  On 8 December 1919 he joined HMS K5 which was then transferred to HMS PANDORA as depot ship on 1 January 1921.

K5 departed Torbay on 19 January 1921 to take part in naval exercises in the Atlantic/Bay of Biscay areas and transmitted a diving signal on 20 January 1921. Nothing else was heard from her and it is surmised she lost control on diving and sank to below crush depth. There were no survivors from the 57 man crew.

Able Seaman Victor Allen Gillett, Svc No. J24980 had “Crossed The Bar” with 56 of his shipmates. He is commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial on Panel 32.