Date of birth: 23/09/1896

Place of birth: Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada

Last known residence: 43 Plover Street, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada

Profession: Sheet Metal Worker

Country: Canada

Force: Canadian Expeditionary Force

Rank: Private

Service number: 469342

Enlistment date: 25/08/1915

Enlistment place: Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada

Units:  —  Canadian Infantry, 2nd Bn. (Eastern Ontario)  (Last known unit)

Date of death: 06/11/1917

Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.)

Age: 21

British War Medal Medal — 06/11/1917

Victory Medal Medal — 06/11/1917

He completed a portion of his training in Sussex, New Brunswick then sailed to Europe on March 31, 1916 upon the R.M.S. Adriatic. He arrived in Liverpool, England on April 9, 1916 and began training. The 64th Battalion contributed to the Canadian Corps until July 7th and then its personnel were transferred to other battalions. Gilbert was absorbed into the 2nd Battalion (Eastern Ontario) on July 14, 1916. He was listed as in the trenches with his new battalion on August 10, 1916 as The Battle of the Somme raged on. He suffered shrapnel wounds to his thigh during the Battle of the Somme on September 4, 1916 and was transferred to a hospital in Boulogne, France. He rejoined his battalion in the field on April 25, 1917, just two-weeks after his battalion was engaged at the Battle of Vimy Ridge. Not long after being placed in the field, he would have been engaged in the Battle of Arleux, and later in May, the Third Battle of the Scarpe, smaller conflicts in the Battle of Arras. He also participated in the Battle of Hill 70 near Lens, France that August.

In late October the Canadian Corps was given the task of the Second Battle of Passchendaele. This battle was similar to the Vimy attack where all 4 Canadian Divisions were engaged and a creeping barrage would be used. Initial attack would commence on October 26th. The third attack was completed on November 6th and Gilbert would be killed-in-action that day in one of the heaviest engagements the Canadians made for Passchendaele.

Lives of the First World War (Imperial War Museum) https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/5561985

Commonwealth War Graves Commission Database https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/922022

Namenlijst (In Flanders Fields Museum) https://namenlijst.org/publicsearch/#/person/_id=19800d0e-1f6c-455c-8a15-b74ba03768fd

The Canadian Virtual War Memorial https://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/memorials/canadian-virtual-war-memorial/detail/922022