Lieutenant L J Gibbs

[shaymen]

Could any one offer any info on Lieut L J GIbbs 13th Bn Canterbury Regiment NZ.

Not really clued up on researching New Zealand boys.

I know he was wounded in Gallipoli and was born in Stansted Essex but left for NZ about 1907.

His first name may be Lottew ( Can't always believe census records !)

Also found out he was MID for distinguished service on the battlefield.

He survived the war as far as I can tell.

Any help appreciated

Thanks

Glyn

[aconnolly]

Glyn

L J Gibbs, Military Cross & MID. Joined NZEF 21/11/14, served with the NZ Maori (Pioneer) Batt and the Canterbury Regiment. Promoted to Captain 23/4/16 and at some stage was an acting Major. Following the Armistice, he was the OC of the NZ Graves Registration Unit and the NZ Divisional Salvage Officer.

He saw active service in Gallipoli and the Western Front.

In broad terms , after Galliupoli, the NZEF formed the NZ Division which went to France whilst a Mounted contingent served in Palestine.

On the Western Front, NZ Div first went into the line at Armentieres in May 1916, then entered the Somme 15 September 1916, followed by action in all the major offensives in their area to the end of the war - Messines, Passchendale, the retreat from the German advance of 1918, then the drive to final victory.

I'll sort whatever details of Gibbs I can find and post later. Christine Liav'a. of the Forum is a wonderful source for info regarding enigration to NZ, later life details etc.

Regards

Andrew

[aconnolly]

Glyn

Here is the MC entry in the London Gazette

http://www.gazettes-online.co.uk/archiveVi...&selHonourType=

As you will see, his name was Loftus Joseph

so far, I've found a very brief mention of him commanding a company of the Maori soldiers on the Somme, late September 1916. Apparently his MID was for work on Gallipoli - I'm still struggling with the LG search function....

Andrew

[Captain Dave]

Incidently, the 13th Bn refers to the Company he was with. The Canterbury Battalion had coys that were drawn from provincial Regiments in the upper half of the South Island. Initialy these units were provincial, but as the the war went on, men would be posted to whatever company was short. The West Coast was (and still is) a fairly sparsely populated part of NZ.

Canterbury Bn organisation for all Battalions was.

1st Canterbury Regiment

2nd (South) Canterbury Regiment

12th Nelson Regiment

13th West Coast Regiment

You need to know what Bn he was part of as the Canterbury Bns were divided up amongst the Bdes on the Western front. The 1st and 2nd Bns were in the 2nd Bde, and the 3rd Bn was in the 4th Bde.

As Andrew has mentioned, other people can probably provide infor as to where he was living when he enlisted etc.

Dave

[Captain Dave]

Forgot to mention that the Companys retained their Regimental Badges, so each NZ Bn had 4 different cap badges, 1 for each company. Rather confusing.

[Robert Dunlop]

The West Coast was (and still is) a fairly sparsely populated part of NZ.

Dave, apart from the aerial menace, of the biting sort . A wonderful part of New Zealand.

Robert

[shaymen]

Andrew / Dave

Thanks for the information - its all much appreciated

Glyn