The Australian Boer War Memorial
Anzac Parade Canberra

 
 
corporal Frank Gibbs

Ancestor Details

Name of Ancestor: Frank Gibbs

Ancestor's date of birth: 18/01/1880

Ancestor's date of death: 01/01/1987

Cause of Death: stroke

Service and Life Before the Boer War: pupil teacher. Joined 1st Dragoon Guards at Leicester U.K. on 9 June 1898.

Service Number: 4198

Colony or State of enlistment: Not Australia, Place of Enlistment: Leicester, UK

Unit: 1st Dragoon Guards

Rank attained in Boer War: CPL, Date Effective: 1901

Highest Rank attained (if served after war): CPL, Date Effective: 1901

Murray Page: Not applicable, did not serve in an Australian Unit

Contingent: Not applicable.

Ship: Maplemore, Date of Sailing: 08/01/1901 (from the UK)

Memorial details: Detail not provided

Awards/Decorations/Commendations: Queen's South African Medal and 5 clasps

Personal Characteristics: Height: 175 cm. Complexion: fresh Eyes: grey Hair: fair His major stated that he was steady, sober and very willing. His conduct while on service was called exemplary.

Reasons to go and fight: Adventure Did not like teaching No place for him in his uncle's shoe factory.

Details of service in war: Corporal Gibbs' regiment arrived at the end of January 1901, in time to take part in the pursuit of De Wet, but without allowing time for men and horses to get into the campaigning condition essential for so arduous a task. The close pursuit of the various columns had the effect of driving De Wet north to the Orange River, west of Hopetown, where, being hotly pressed by, his 15-pounder gun and a pom-pom were captured by our mounted troops under Lieutenant Colonel Owen, 1st King's Dragoon Guards. De Wet eventually got across the river, but over 200 prisoners, all his guns, ammunition, and wagons fell into our hands. He undoubtedly quitted Cape Colony with great loss of prestige. The Regiment, was then taken to the north-east of the Orange River Colony, and operated there for the greater part of 1901. At the end of July the Regiment was on a sweep west of the Kroonstad Railway. On 2 August near Graspan Captain Quicke, King's Dragoon Guards, of Colonel Owen's column, with two squadrons of his regiment, effected the capture of a laager of 65 wagons and 4000 cattle. The Regiment was constantly hard at work until the end of the campaign. They came late on the scene, but made up for lost time, always doing well. [angloboerwar.com]

Service and life after the Boer War: Served in Ireland with the KDG. Transferred to army reserve at Aldershot 8 June 1905 Migrated to Australia sailing on the 'Ophir' in 1909. Married in 1914. Became a butter factory manager in Cootamundra NSW.

Descendant Details

Name of Descendant: Stanley Frank Gibbs, Clunes NSW
Relationship to Ancestor: son

 


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