Pte. Ernest Edward Gibbs 28074 - Middlesex Regiment

[Ivor Anderson]

Pte. Ernest Edward Gibbs 28074 - Middlesex Regiment

Going by records of close service nos. Gibbs seems to have enlisted around January 1916?  His medal roll does not show a battalion. (Ancestry images):

Gibbs was later transferred to the Labour Corps at some point as no longer fit for frontline service? I think he was late 40s at attestation.

e.g. Pte. John Goddard 28075 initially served with the 11th Middlesex and first entered a war theatre 7 Oct 1916.

      Pte. Robert Hoye 28071 attested 13 Jan 1916 and was mobilised 10 May 1916, initially joining the 11th Bn. 18 Aug 1916 - service record: https://www.ancestry.co.uk/discoveryui-content/view/294163:1114?tid=&pid=&queryId=5b2ac290-3f7b-48b7-8c50-3018434ebb67&_phsrc=qzF17414&_phstart=successSource

Edited 30 April by Ivor Anderson

[Ivor Anderson]

If this is him, he was born 1866 and died 1937. He was also a 'Barrister's Clerk', aged 44 in 1911 - Ancestry image:

[Ivor Anderson]

Gibbs would have been 49 in Jan 1916 (birth registered Kensington district Q4 1863).

As a barrister's clerk he may have been officer material, but his age would have gone against him as officer selection was tighter?

He may have declared a false age at enlistment in Jan 1916?

Edited 30 April by Ivor Anderson

[Allan1892]

4 hours ago, Ivor Anderson said:

Gibbs was later transferred to the Labour Corps

According to 'No Labour, No Battle' his LC number was in a block (394500 to around 484900) which was issued between October 1917 to January 1918.

[Ivor Anderson]

Thanks Alan. That's very helpful. So he may have served in France with a Middlesex Regt. battalion from around Sept 1916 for over a year.

Possibly with 11th Bn.? https://wartimememoriesproject.com/greatwar/allied/battalion.php?pid=6712

Or 12th Bn. https://wartimememoriesproject.com/greatwar/allied/battalion.php?pid=6713

[Ivor Anderson]

His BWM: