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Rifleman James Edwin Gibbs
Description
TitleRifleman James Edwin GibbsSummaryA soldier in World War One. DescriptionJames was born at Darfield on 15 August 1880, third son of John Thomas and Bessie Ann Gibbs. He had married Florence Esther Fuller at Hororata on 4th January 1915. His wife was pregnant at the time of his embarkation and his son James Edwin was born 15 June 1917 at Glentunnel. His last employer was G. Shipley, Island farm, Hareward Road and he and his family had been living in Papanui. He was 5ft 5in tall with a fresh complexion, grey eyes and fair hair.
James enlisted at Christchurch 11th December 1916 and was assigned to the 25th Reinforcements, Canterbury Infantry Regiment, C Company. He embarked from Wellington on 26th April on board the SS Turakina arriving in Devonport on 19th July 1917 but instead of heading to camp he was taken straight to hospital suffering from dysentery. It must have been severe for it was not until a month later on 17th August that he was transferred to No.2 NZ general Hospital and three months before he was finally able to march into the Brocton Camp, base depot for the Rifle Brigade on 17 November. He left for France on 20th February 1918 and marched into camp at Abeele on 24th. From there he was posted to B Company, 4th Battalion. However his health problems were not over for less than a month later he was back in hospital, although this time it was an accident on duty for which he was not to blame. He seems to have suffered a septic knee joint. He was sent to 3rd Canadian Stationary hospital at Doullens arriving on 7th April. The next day he was passed to the 24th General Hospital in Etaples, then to Trouville and finally to convalesce at Havre on 22nd April. A couple of weeks later he was back at Etaples and attached to the strength on 2nd May and then to re-join the 4th Battalion in the field on 17th May. On 14th July he was detached to Lewis Gun School returning on 27th. He was killed in action on 26 August 1918 aged 36 during the fighting around Bapaume. He was buried in Favreuil British Cemetery, plot I.D. 9. In New Zealand James is remembered on the Malvern County and Hororata War Memorials.
Favreuil is a village in the Department of the Pas-de-Calais about 2 kilometres north of Bapaume. Favreuil village was occupied by British troops in March, 1917, lost in March, 1918, and retaken by the 37th and New Zealand Divisions on the 25th August. The cemetery was begun in April, 1917, and used until March, 1918, by fighting units (particularly of the 62nd (West Riding) Division) and Field Ambulances. Further burials were made in August and September, 1918, and after the Armistice British graves were brought in from the neighbouring battlefields and other burial grounds, including:- Beaulencourt Churchyard German Extension, in which three South African soldiers and two from the United Kingdom were buried in July, 1916. Beugny German Cemetery No.3 (adjoining the present Red Cross Corner Cemetery), in which 350 German soldiers, eight from the United Kingdom and one from New Zealand were buried. Velu Churchyard, which contained the graves of 39 German soldiers and five from the United Kingdom. There are now nearly 400, 1914-18 war casualties commemorated in this site. Of these, over ten are unidentified and special memorials are erected to four soldiers from the United Kingdom known or believed to be buried among them. Another special memorial records the name of a soldier from the United Kingdom, buried in Favreuil German Cemetery, whose grave could not be found. The bodies of 484 German soldiers were removed after the Armistice from a German Cemetery of 1918 on the North-West side, and 45 from the British Cemetery. The cemetery covers an area of 1,983 square metres and is enclosed by a rubble wall.First NameJames EdwinLast NameGibbsFamilyMarried, Wife Florence Esther, co Mrs S Fuller, Hororata Third son of John Thomas and Bessie Ann GibbsDate of Birth15 August 1880Place of BirthDarfieldDate of Death26 August 1918Place of DeathBapaume, France Cause of DeathKilled in actionAge at Death36
James enlisted at Christchurch 11th December 1916 and was assigned to the 25th Reinforcements, Canterbury Infantry Regiment, C Company. He embarked from Wellington on 26th April on board the SS Turakina arriving in Devonport on 19th July 1917 but instead of heading to camp he was taken straight to hospital suffering from dysentery. It must have been severe for it was not until a month later on 17th August that he was transferred to No.2 NZ general Hospital and three months before he was finally able to march into the Brocton Camp, base depot for the Rifle Brigade on 17 November. He left for France on 20th February 1918 and marched into camp at Abeele on 24th. From there he was posted to B Company, 4th Battalion. However his health problems were not over for less than a month later he was back in hospital, although this time it was an accident on duty for which he was not to blame. He seems to have suffered a septic knee joint. He was sent to 3rd Canadian Stationary hospital at Doullens arriving on 7th April. The next day he was passed to the 24th General Hospital in Etaples, then to Trouville and finally to convalesce at Havre on 22nd April. A couple of weeks later he was back at Etaples and attached to the strength on 2nd May and then to re-join the 4th Battalion in the field on 17th May. On 14th July he was detached to Lewis Gun School returning on 27th. He was killed in action on 26 August 1918 aged 36 during the fighting around Bapaume. He was buried in Favreuil British Cemetery, plot I.D. 9. In New Zealand James is remembered on the Malvern County and Hororata War Memorials.
Favreuil is a village in the Department of the Pas-de-Calais about 2 kilometres north of Bapaume. Favreuil village was occupied by British troops in March, 1917, lost in March, 1918, and retaken by the 37th and New Zealand Divisions on the 25th August. The cemetery was begun in April, 1917, and used until March, 1918, by fighting units (particularly of the 62nd (West Riding) Division) and Field Ambulances. Further burials were made in August and September, 1918, and after the Armistice British graves were brought in from the neighbouring battlefields and other burial grounds, including:- Beaulencourt Churchyard German Extension, in which three South African soldiers and two from the United Kingdom were buried in July, 1916. Beugny German Cemetery No.3 (adjoining the present Red Cross Corner Cemetery), in which 350 German soldiers, eight from the United Kingdom and one from New Zealand were buried. Velu Churchyard, which contained the graves of 39 German soldiers and five from the United Kingdom. There are now nearly 400, 1914-18 war casualties commemorated in this site. Of these, over ten are unidentified and special memorials are erected to four soldiers from the United Kingdom known or believed to be buried among them. Another special memorial records the name of a soldier from the United Kingdom, buried in Favreuil German Cemetery, whose grave could not be found. The bodies of 484 German soldiers were removed after the Armistice from a German Cemetery of 1918 on the North-West side, and 45 from the British Cemetery. The cemetery covers an area of 1,983 square metres and is enclosed by a rubble wall.First NameJames EdwinLast NameGibbsFamilyMarried, Wife Florence Esther, co Mrs S Fuller, Hororata Third son of John Thomas and Bessie Ann GibbsDate of Birth15 August 1880Place of BirthDarfieldDate of Death26 August 1918Place of DeathBapaume, France Cause of DeathKilled in actionAge at Death36
Connections
CollectionSoldiers of Selwyn World War OneImageMalvern War MemorialHororata War MemorialMore InformationAuckland War Memorial Cenotaph
Military Service
Memorial or CemeteryFavreuil British CemeteryHororata War MemorialMalvern County War MemorialOccupation before EnlistingFarmer Regiment or ServiceCanterbury Infantry Regiment Enlistment Details11th December 1916 at ChristchurchService Number46577 Embarkation26th April 1916Place of EmbarkationWellingtonTransportTurakinaCountryNew Zealand
Attribution
Researched ByL. M. SeatonTaken FromPhoto taken from Auckland War Memorial Cenotaph. Please refer to this site for the photo’s copyright license
Rifleman James Edwin Gibbs. Selwyn Stories, accessed 16/12/2025, https://selwynstories.selwynlibraries.co.nz/nodes/view/281
