Gilles was a towering number eight, standing at 6 ft 6 in. Known for his kicking abilities, Gilles was adept at the dribble kick and an accurate place kicker, often utilised for the longer shots. He gained 12 Scotland caps from 1924 to 1927.[2] This included their 1925 Five Nations grand slam, during which he contributed a try against France and converted the first ever try scored at Murrayfield, in their Calcutta Cup encounter. He played for Watsonians RFC while a medical student in Edinburgh, then moved to England, playing for Manchester, Cheshire and Cumberland.[3]