Francis Gibbs

Submitted by Mt Kembla Minin... on Tue, 16/05/2017 - 11:01

First Name:

Francis

Last Name:

Gibbs

Date of Birth:

Sunday, July 30, 1876

Mother's Name:

Harriet Gibbs nee Fuller

Father's Name:

Edward Gibbs

Date Enlisted:

Monday, March 6, 1916

Rank at Enlistment:

Private

Rank at Discharge:

Private

Unit:

19th Battalion

Service:

Infantry

Awards:

British War Medal

Victory Medal

Date of Death:

Sunday, August 15, 1954

Place of Death:

Kiama Hospital, N.S.W.

Details:

Francis Gibbs (Service No 5569) was born in Moruya, N.S.W. In 1906 he married Benedicta Moore. Francis had served for 6 years with 37th Infantry Militia.

At enlistment Francis was 39 years old, worked as a labourer, and he & Benedicta and their 5 children lived at Kiama, N.S.W. He embarked from Sydney on HMAT A14 Euripides with 19th Battalion, 15th Reinforcement on 9th September 1916. After arriving in England on 26th October 1916 Francis was sent on to France to join 19th Battalion, arriving on 18th December 1916.

He saw service on the Western Front but he had health problems and was in and out of hospital with rheumatism from March 1917 until he was repatriated to Australia in January 1918. He was discharged medically unfit with myalgia on 4th May 1918.

Francis was a foundation member of the Kiama Returned Services League. He and his family remained in Kiama.

Francis died in 1954; His service is commemorated on the Kiama Memorial Arch & Honour Roll.

Sources:

NAA: B2455, GIBBS F