1/5th Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment
Charles Gibbons was born on 7 January 1893 at Ampney Crucis, just east of Cirencester and was baptised on 9 April of that year. His parents were Charles Gibbons (1863-1945), a domestic gardener and his wife Mary Ann (née Smith: 1861-1929). According to the 1911 Census the couple had eleven children, of whom one was deceased by that year.
At the time of the 1901 Census the family was living in Castle Street at Cirencester. Ten years on, at the time of the census they had moved to 109 Gloucester Street and Charles was recorded as being employed as a grocer’s porter.
Unfortunately, no Army Service Record has survived for his service in the 1/5th Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment, we are reliant upon the following newspaper reports:
Wilts & Gloucestershire Standard of 22 July 1916:
Lance-Corporal Charles Gibbons, of the 1/5th Gloucesters, son of Mr Charles Gibbons, of the Bishop Blaize Inn, Cirencester, has been wounded in the head. He joined the Cirencester Territorials on their formation and his term of service expired last August, but he patriotically rejoined and went back to the front. The following brief notes give all the information at present available: – 1/2 South Midland Field Ambulance, 48 Division, B.E.F. 10/7/1916
Dear Mrs Gibbons,
I am sorry to have to tell you that your son, L/C. Gibbons, has been wounded and is at present in this hospital. He is rather badly wounded in the head, but everything possible is being done for him and we can only hope for the best. He is quite conscious and says you are not to worry; he also sends his love. I will write to you again shortly and give you all news of him. Yours most sincerely E.R. Sloan, Sister. 1/5 Bn.
Gloucestershire Regt. July 11th [1916] :
Dear Mr and Mrs Gibbons,
I am writing to tell you that your son, L.Cpl. Gibbons, is suffering from wound in his forehead. He is doing very well. I saw his wound being dressed this morning, and I do not think that you need have any anxiety. He will be going down to the base shortly, and will then be writing to you himself. Yours sincerely G.F. Helm 13/7/16.
Dear Sir,
I am glad to inform you that your son, who was wounded in the head by shrapnel on Friday last, is going on famously. I saw him in hospital last night, and he was expecting to go farther back to-day, and should be in England before many days now. We are very sorry to lose him, all of us, and hope he will make a very speedy recovery. Yours faithfully R.J.C. Little, Capt., 1/5 Glos. Regt.
Wilts & Gloucestershire Standard of 19 August 1916:
We have received the following letter: “King George’s Hospital, Stamford Street.
Dear Sir,
I am writing this to let you know my son, Lance-Corporal C. Gibbons, of the Gloucesters, reported in the official lists to have died of wounds, was brought over from France on August 8th to King George’s Hospital. He was operated on for the third time on Saturday for fractured skull and shrapnel on the brain, so has been in danger since, so that his mother and myself have not been able to return yet… This is a fine hospital for the poor chaps, holding about 1,500 cases. Yours respectfully Charles Gibbons.”
Lance Corporal Charles Gibbons was not to survive his wounds and died in the King George Hospital, Stamford Street, London SE on 21 August 1916, aged 23. The Gloucestershire Echo of 26 August 1916 carried a report of his funeral, which took place on the day before, in Cirencester Parish Church. It stated that Charles was a former Cirencester Church Lads’ Brigade member who had joined the Territorials (presumably early in the war, as his Medal Rolls Index Card shows he first went to the Western Front on 19 March 1915) and had been wounded in action and reported killed but had been brought home to the King George Hospital, London and there succumbed to scalp injuries.
Charles Gibbons was buried in the Cirencester,Chesterton, Cemetery on 25 August 1916. His grave is marked by a standard Commonwealth War Grave Commission headstone.
He is commemorated on the Cirencester War Memorial, as is his brother, 20578 Private Alfred Raymond Gibbons of the 1st Battalion of the Glosters, who was killed in action on 9 September 1916, during the Somme Offensive and is buried in Caterpillar Valley Cemetery at Longueval.
Researched by Graham Adams 28 April 2021