Date of birth | |
Place of birth | Warracknabeal, Victoria |
School | Caulfield Grammar School, Victoria |
Other training | University of Melbourne, Victoria |
Religion | Presbyterian |
Occupation | Medical student |
Address | Melbourne, Victoria |
Marital status | Single |
Age at embarkation | 23 |
Height | 5' 9" |
Weight | 168 lbs |
Next of kin | Father, Dr R H Gibbs, Colac, Victoria |
Previous military service | Served in the Volunteer Cadets. |
Enlistment date | |
Place of enlistment | Melbourne, Victoria |
Rank on enlistment | 2nd Lieutenant |
Unit name | 6th Battalion, 14th Reinforcement |
AWM Embarkation Roll number | 23/23/4 |
Embarkation details | Unit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board HMAT A32 Themistocles on |
Rank from Nominal Roll | Lieutenant |
Unit from Nominal Roll | 6th Battalion |
Fate | Killed in Action |
Place of burial | No known grave |
Commemoration details | V.C. Corner (Panel No 14), Australian Cemetery Memorial, Fromelles, France |
Panel number, Roll of Honour, Australian War Memorial | 67 |
Miscellaneous information from cemetery records | Parents: Richard (died, result of accident, 13 July 1919) and Helen GIBBS, 156 Church Street, Middle Brighton, Victoria. Native of Colac, Victoria |
Medals |
Military Cross 'For conspicuous gallantry in action. When his company commander was seriously wounded he took charge and led his men over the parapet and steadily forward under very heavy machine gun and rifle fire.'
Source: 'Commonwealth Gazette' No. 184 Date: |
Family/military connections | Brother: 1951 Pte John Harbinger GIBBS, Administrative Headquarters, returned to Australia, 16 July 1917. |
Other details |
War service: Egypt, Western Front Embarked Melbourne, 28 January 1916; disembarked Alexandria, 28 February 1916. Transferred to 59th Bn and taken on strength, Tel el Kebir, 21 March 1916. Absorbed on strength, 59th Bn, Duntroon Plateau, 30 April 1916. Appointed Lieutenant to complete Special Order establishment, 1 June 1916. Embarked Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Force, 18 June 1916; disembarked Marseilles, France, 29 June 1916. Posted missing, 19 July 1916. Court of Enquiry, held in the field, 29 August 1917, pronounced fate as 'Killed in Action, 19 July 1916'. Note, Red Cross File No 1151014: 'No trace Germany. Cert by Capt. Mills. 10.10.19.' Statement, 4588 Pte C.H. SAUNDERS, 59th Bn (patient, 1st Australian Auxiliary Hospital, Harefield, England), 25 August 1916: 'I saw Lieut. Gibbs when I was coming back from trenches between the two lines at Fleurbaix, he was dead, I was lying beside him for a long time.' Second statement, Captain G.W. AKEROYD, 59th Bn (patient, 1st London General Hospital, Camberwell, England), 30 August 1916: 'Informant states that on August 23/16 he heard from Lieut. Stockfield, 59. A.I.F. now in 3rd. London General Hospital, Wandsworth, that Lieut. Gibbs got hit and fell about 80 yds. this side of the German trenches at Fleurbaix on July 19/16.' Third statement, 4603 Pte A. TAYLOR, A Company, 59th Bn, 4 September 1916: 'He was killed over towards the German line in the charge on the night of July 19th at Fleurbaix. I saw him go down hit either by shrapnel or a bullet. I was quite near him at the time. I don't know if his body was recovered.' Fourth statement, 3563 Pte L. LYONS, 59th Bn, 4 September 1916: 'Pte Dozell, IV Platoon, A. Coy. Bombing Sect; (sic) told me he saw Mr. Gibbs' body lying out near the German lines during the charge on July 19 that Fleurbaix. He told me this next morning when he came out of the charge.'Fifth statement, 3696 Sergeant S. BENT, A Company, 59th Bn, 4 August 1916: 'I saw Lt. Gibbs wounded by the creek in No Man's Land about 100 yards away from the German front line trenches at Fleur Baix (sic) on July 19th 1916. He went down in a heap. We were driven back at this point. The grass was high and I did not see him again. I made enquiries but could hear nothing further at all about him. I concluded that he died where he fell.' Medals: Military Cross, British War Medal, Victory Medal |
Sources | NAA: B2455, GIBBS Richard Horace Maconochie
Red Cross file 1151014 |