Pte
Edward Gibbins
Information about birth
|
Date of birth: 19/11/1878 |
|
Place of birth: Shoreditch, Middlesex, England, United Kingdom |
General information
|
Profession: Carman |
Army information
|
Country: England, United Kingdom |
|
Force: British Expeditionary Force |
|
Rank: Private |
|
Service number: 17998 |
|
Units: — Essex Regiment, 10th Bn. (Last known unit) |
Information about death
|
Date of death: 12/08/1917 |
|
Place of death: Inverness Copse, Belgium |
|
Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
|
Age: 38 |
Memorial
|
Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial Panel: 39 |
Distinctions and medals 3
|
1914-15 Star Medal — 19/12/1919 |
|
British War Medal Medal — 12/03/1920 |
|
Victory Medal Medal — 12/03/1920 |
Points of interest 1
| #1 | Place of birth |
My story
Private Edward Gibbins of the 10th Battalion Essex Regiment part of the 53rd Brigade of the 18th Division fought in the Third Battle of Ypres, also known as the Battle of Passchendaele. From 10 - 13 August 1917 the 18th Division assisted in the Capture of Westhoek, a smaller offensive which followed the Battle of Pilckem Ridge (in which the 53rd Brigade, 18th Division had also fought) during the Third Battle of Ypres. Gibbins was a husband and father from Shoreditch, London whose occupation was a 'Carman' prior to the outbreak of the First World War.
The 53rd Brigade had been moved to Dickebusch Huts on the 3rd of August and remained there for a week for rest, reorganization and special training. In the early morning of 10 August the 10th Battalion received orders to move to Chateau Segard, once they arrived at 10:30 a.m. further orders were received that the battalion would take over the Front Line from the 7th S.W. Surreys (Queens) that same night. The relief was completed by 11:30 p.m. and Battalion headquarters was set up at Stirling Castle. The Enemy is recorded by reconnaissance to have been very strong in this section of the frontline and many casualties were suffered by 10th Essex in the course of the relief.
On the 12th of August 1917 a small operation against German strongholds had been scheduled for 4:25a.m. but was cancelled after the battalion had lost its way during the night, this resulted in what is described as 'tragic consequences for "D" Company'. “D” company had been tasked with taking a German pill-box situated at the corner of Inverness Copse and opposite Clapham Junction which was preventing Allied advancement to the East of the Line. The Company was led by Lieutenant Compton and was lined up either side of Jasper Trench which was angled towards the objective. At 4:10 Compton was informed by a runner that the infantry attack would not be taking place and he had time to get his men to shelter before the Allied artillery barrage began. However, in what is described as either 'with set purpose, or on the spur of gallant impulse', Compton shouted to those around him 'to have a go at the pill-box'. The odds were against “D” Company; they had 150 yards of flat to cover, the allied artillery had miscalculated their distances and the barrage was landing well behind the leading German posts and as the infantry advance had been called-off no other allied forces were advancing and so the German machine-gunners could focus entirely on the small band of men. The pill-box was reached by only one soldier who, unable to single-handedly take on the garrison, sheltered in a shell hole until eventual nightfall when he was able to get back to the allied line.
Private Edward Gibbins is recorded as Killed in Action on 12 August 1917, aged 39. It is likely that Gibbins was part of “D” Company, theirs being the only recorded action and losses for 53rd Brigade on 12 August 1917. Following the advance his remains were either never found or could not be positively identified prior to official burial. As a result he is commemorated on Panel 39 of the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial to the Missing.
The 53rd Brigade had been moved to Dickebusch Huts on the 3rd of August and remained there for a week for rest, reorganization and special training. In the early morning of 10 August the 10th Battalion received orders to move to Chateau Segard, once they arrived at 10:30 a.m. further orders were received that the battalion would take over the Front Line from the 7th S.W. Surreys (Queens) that same night. The relief was completed by 11:30 p.m. and Battalion headquarters was set up at Stirling Castle. The Enemy is recorded by reconnaissance to have been very strong in this section of the frontline and many casualties were suffered by 10th Essex in the course of the relief.
On the 12th of August 1917 a small operation against German strongholds had been scheduled for 4:25a.m. but was cancelled after the battalion had lost its way during the night, this resulted in what is described as 'tragic consequences for "D" Company'. “D” company had been tasked with taking a German pill-box situated at the corner of Inverness Copse and opposite Clapham Junction which was preventing Allied advancement to the East of the Line. The Company was led by Lieutenant Compton and was lined up either side of Jasper Trench which was angled towards the objective. At 4:10 Compton was informed by a runner that the infantry attack would not be taking place and he had time to get his men to shelter before the Allied artillery barrage began. However, in what is described as either 'with set purpose, or on the spur of gallant impulse', Compton shouted to those around him 'to have a go at the pill-box'. The odds were against “D” Company; they had 150 yards of flat to cover, the allied artillery had miscalculated their distances and the barrage was landing well behind the leading German posts and as the infantry advance had been called-off no other allied forces were advancing and so the German machine-gunners could focus entirely on the small band of men. The pill-box was reached by only one soldier who, unable to single-handedly take on the garrison, sheltered in a shell hole until eventual nightfall when he was able to get back to the allied line.
Private Edward Gibbins is recorded as Killed in Action on 12 August 1917, aged 39. It is likely that Gibbins was part of “D” Company, theirs being the only recorded action and losses for 53rd Brigade on 12 August 1917. Following the advance his remains were either never found or could not be positively identified prior to official burial. As a result he is commemorated on Panel 39 of the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial to the Missing.
Sources 6
|
"Passchendaele. The Day-by-Day Account", McCarthy C., London, Uniform, 2018, pg. 44-49. Sources used |
|
"With the 10th Essex in France", lt.-col. T. M. Banks and Capt. R. A. Chell, Gay&Hancock, ltd., London, 1924, p. 208-213. Sources used |
|
Ancestry https://www.ancestry.co.uk/ Further reference |
|
CWGC https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/930706/gibbins,-edward/ Sources used |
|
The Long, Long Trail http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/ Sources used |
|
War Diary Essex 10th Bn. http://www.nmarchive.com/ Further reference |