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Mar 26, 1895
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Born in Wellington, Ontario
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Nov 5, 1914
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Attested into the 21st Battalion in
Kingston, Ontario
Ø Number 59361 (temporary number 637)
Ø Next of kin given as Socrates Gibson, father, Wellington, Ontario
Ø Previous occupation given as Farmer
Ø No previous military experience given
Ø Religion given as Wesleyan
Ø Assigned to “E” Company
o This was later reorganized into “C” Company
The battalion trained in the Kingston area
through the winter with headquarters in the Kingston Armouries
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May 6, 1915
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Embarked the RMS Metagama in Montreal, Quebec
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May 15, 1915
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Disembarked in Devonport, England and the
battalion proceeded to the West Sandling Camp, near Hythe, Kent to continue training
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Sep 14, 1915
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Embarked the St. Seiriol in Folkestone
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Sep 15, 1915
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Disembarked in Boulogne, France and the
battalion proceeded to St. Omer
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Sep 30, 1915
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Sentenced to 28 days Field Punishment #2 for
neglect of duty. It is worthy to note that
he was 1 of 9 men given the same sentence for the same offence on the same day.
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Jul 3, 1916
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Appointed to rank of Lance Corporal to replace
59692 L/Cpl Murtagh who had been invalided to England
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Sep 15, 1916
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As part of the battle of the Somme, the 21st
Battalion was given the task of taking a German stronghold in a sugar refinery near
Courcelette. This was the first time the
Canadians had used tanks as part of their attack. L/Cpl
Gibson received shrapnel wounds to his right hand and was admitted to the No. 9 CFA
(Canadian Field Ambulance) for first aid. Later
that day he was transferred to the No. 11 CCS (Casualty Clearing Station) for treatment
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Sep 16, 1916
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Transported via the No. 18 AT (Ambulance Train)
and admitted to the No. 1 Convalescent Depot in Boulogne to recover from his wounds
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Sep 30, 1916
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Discharged from the Convalescent Depot and
joined the CBD (Canadian Base Depot) in the Rouelles Camp, Havre
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Oct 6, 1916
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Left the CBD to join the battalion
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Oct 9, 1916
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Joined the 21st Battalion in billets
in Fieffes, France, north of Amiens
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Nov 5, 1916
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Awarded the Good Conduct Badge
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Nov 13, 1916
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Granted 10 days leave
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Nov 24, 1916
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Rejoined the battalion from leave
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Dec 26, 1916
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Admitted to the No. 5 CFA with a diagnosis that
reads VDS (Venereal Disease Syphilis)
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Dec 27, 1916
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Transferred to the No 6 CCS
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Jan 1, 1917
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Transferred via the No. 37 AT and admitted to
the No. 39 General Hospital, Havre
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Mar 1, 1917
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Discharged to the CBD and forfeited 50¢ per
day and loss of his Field Allowance for the 59 days in hospital as punishment for
contracting VDS
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Mar 12, 1917
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Left the CBD and joined the 2nd
Entrenching Battalion in Hersin
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Apr 16, 1917
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Left the 2nd Entrenching Battalion to
join the 21st Battalion
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May 9, 1917
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While “C” Company was under command of
the 20th Battalion in the front line trench east of Vimy Ridge, they came under
heavy bombardment from the German artillery.
Lance Corporal Gibson was killed during that
action. His body was never recovered from
the battlefield and as such, he is commemorated on the walls of the Canadian National Vimy
Ridge Memorial, Vimy Ridge, France for those killed in France with no known grave.
Following the war the 1914-15 Star, British War
Medal, Victory Medal, Plaque (Dead Man’s Penny) and Scroll were sent to his father,
S. Gibson, Wellington, Ontario
There was no Memorial Cross issued
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