The AIF Project

Frederick Crowdy GIBSON

Regimental number5378
Place of birthCooma, New South Wales
SchoolPublic School, New South Wales
ReligionRoman Catholic
OccupationLabourer
AddressGlenroy, Ourimbah, New South Wales
Marital statusSingle
Age at embarkation21
Next of kinFather, E Gibson, Glenroy, Ourimbah, New South Wales
Enlistment date14 November 1915
Rank on enlistmentPrivate
Unit name13th Battalion, 17th Reinforcement
AWM Embarkation Roll number23/30/4
Embarkation detailsUnit embarked from Sydney, New South Wales, on board HMAT A71 Nestor on 9 April 1916
Rank from Nominal RollPrivate
Unit from Nominal Roll13th Battalion
Recommendations (Medals and Awards)

Unspecified


Recommendation date: 10 February 1917

Military Medal


Recommendation date: 29 September 1917

FateKilled in Action 8 August 1918
Age at death23.8
Age at death from cemetery records23
Place of burialNo known grave
Commemoration detailsAustralian National Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux, France

Villers-Bretonneux is a village about 15 km east of Amiens. The Memorial stands on the high ground ('Hill 104') behind the Villers-Bretonneux Military Cemetery, Fouilloy, which is about 2 km north of Villers-Bretonneux on the east side of the road to Fouilloy.

The Australian National Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux is approached through the Military Cemetery, at the end of which is an open grass lawn which leads into a three-sided court. The two pavilions on the left and right are linked by the north and south walls to the back (east) wall, from which rises the focal point of the Memorial, a 105 foot tall tower, of fine ashlar. A staircase leads to an observation platform, 64 feet above the ground, from which further staircases lead to an observation room. This room contains a circular stone tablet with bronze pointers indicating the Somme villages whose names have become synonymous with battles of the Great War; other battle fields in France and Belgium in which Australians fought; and far beyond, Gallipoli and Canberra.

On the three walls, which are faced with Portland stone, are the names of 10,885 Australians who were killed in France and who have no known grave. The 'blocking course' above them bears the names of the Australian Battle Honours.

After the war an appeal in Australia raised £22,700, of which £12,500 came from Victorian school children, with the request that the majority of the funds be used to build a new school in Villers-Bretonneux. The boys' school opened in May 1927, and contains an inscription stating that the school was the gift of Victorian schoolchildren, twelve hundred of whose fathers are buried in the Villers-Bretonneux cemetery, with the names of many more recorded on the Memorial. Villers-Bretonneux is now twinned with Robinvale, Victoria, which has in its main square a memorial to the links between the two towns.

Panel number, Roll of Honour,
  Australian War Memorial
69
Miscellaneous information from
  cemetery records
Parents: Redmund and Margaret GIBSON, 230 Old Canterbury Road, Summer Hill, New South Wales
Medals

Military Medal

'For his gallant and conspicuous conduct during the attack near ZONNEBEKE on the morning of 26th September, 1917. He repeatedly dressed and carried wounded and in doing so had to cross a swamp which was swept by machine gun fire and heavily shelled. His conduct set a splendid example to comrades and his coolness inspired confidence in those around him.'
Source: 'Commonwealth Gazette' No. 31
Date: 7 March 1918

Other details

War service: Western Front

Medals: Military Medal, British War Medal, Victory Medal

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