GIBBS, Frederick Henry
| Service Number: | 3984 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 14 December 1914, Liverpool, New South Wales |
| Last Rank: | Driver |
| Last Unit: | 1st Field Artillery Brigade |
| Born: | Hay, New South Wales, Australia, 1 August 1892 |
| Home Town: | Brighton, Bayside, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Brighton State School, Victoria, Australia |
| Occupation: | Locomotive Fireman |
| Died: | Died of Illness, France, 27 October 1918, aged 26 years |
| Cemetery: |
Abbeville Communal Cemetery Extension |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Brighton Grammar School Girrawheen Chapel World War 1 Memorial Window, Haymarket NSW Government Railway and Tramway Honour Board |
World War 1 Service
| 14 Dec 1914: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 3984, Liverpool, New South Wales | |
|---|---|---|
| 10 Apr 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Gunner, 3984, 1st Field Artillery Brigade, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '3' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Argyllshire embarkation_ship_number: A8 public_note: '' | |
| 10 Apr 1915: | Embarked AIF WW1, Gunner, 3984, 1st Field Artillery Brigade, HMAT Argyllshire, Sydney | |
| 27 Oct 1918: | Involvement AIF WW1, Driver, 3984, 1st Field Artillery Brigade, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 3984 awm_unit: 1st Australian Field Artillery Brigade awm_rank: Driver awm_died_date: 1918-10-27 |
Great Sydney Central Station Honour Board
Frederick Henry GIBBS, (Service Number 3984) was born on 1 August 1892 at Hay. He commenced work with the NSW Railways as a cleaner at Bathurst Locomotive Depot in November 1913. Within six months he had risen to be a fireman. In December 1914 he was granted leave to join the Expeditionary Forces. He enlisted at Liverpool and gave his father as his next of kin as he was unmarried. He left Australia through Sydney onboard HMAT ‘Argyllshire’ on 10 April 1915 and and reached Egypt on 30 May. His skill at driving steam locomotives was adapted to driving trucks and he seems to have remained in Egypt playing a role in the supply lines rather that going to Gallipoli, He did have a period hospitalisation with tonsillitis
In October 1917 Gibbs was awarded the Military Medal, in association with Drivers William Robertson and John Everett. The citation was:
‘At Westhoek. 2nd to 4th October 1917. These drivers have been conspicuous in devotion to their work and horses carrying ammunition in the short time available – setting a fine example of gallantry and enthusiasm. The result of the work of the drivers was that the Battery had 8,000 rounds on the morning of the attack (4/10/17) of which they had salved 1,000 rounds.’
Submitted 18 July 2023 by John Oakes
Biography contributed by John Oakes
Frederick Henry GIBBS (Service Number 3984) was born on 1st August 1892 at Hay. He commenced work with the NSW Railways as a cleaner at Bathurst Locomotive Depot in November 1913. Within six months he had been promoted to fireman. In December 1914 he was granted leave to join the Expeditionary Forces.
He enlisted at Liverpool and gave his father as his next of kin because he was unmarried. He left Australia from Sydney onboard HMAT ‘Argyllshire’ on 10th April 1915. He reached Egypt on 30th May. He drove trucks in Egypt playing a role in the supply lines rather that going to Gallipoli, He did have a period hospitalisation with tonsillitis
At the end of the Gallipoli campaign he embarked through Alexandria to travel to Europe to join the British Expeditionary Forces, disembarking at Marseilles (France). He was again hospitalised with a septic finger. His role remained away from the fighting. At one point he was in England at the Base Kit Store. Then he was sent to France as part of the 1st Divisional Ammunition Column and then several artillery units.
In October 1917 Gibbs was awarded the Military Medal, in association with Drivers William Robertson and John Everett. The citation was:
‘At Westhoek. 2nd to 4th October 1917. These drivers have been conspicuous in devotion to their work and horses carrying ammunition in the short time available – setting a fine example of gallantry and enthusiasm. The result of the work of the drivers was that the Battery had 8,000 rounds on the morning of the attack (4/10/17) of which they had salved 1,000 rounds.’
He had another injury, a septic foot, and then an accidental injury to his tibia, and then finally Influenza from which he died on 28th October 1918.
He was buried in Abbéville Communal Cemetery Extension, France.
- based on notes for the Great Sydney Central Station Honour Board
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