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Remembered Today:

Lieutenant Stanley Claude Gilbert RFC


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I have read with great interest the topic entitled 99 Squadron and posted a message on it. As that topic seems to have run its natural course I am starting a new topic.

My great uncle Stanley Claude Gilbert was also a pilot on the same raid carried out by 99 Sqn on 26 September 1918 and was killed along with his observer Ralph Buckby.

I have been in contact with the Mayor of St Ruffine and another member of the village for some time and visited the commune last week to visit both of their graves. Stanley is the only CWGC grave in the cemetery at St Ruffine as is Ralph Buckby who is buried in the adjoining commune of Moulin Les Metz. Incidentally the date of Buckbys death is shown as 25 Sept 1918 and not the 26th. The CWGC have accepted the error and will correct it in the future.

I am hoping that someone out there has some more information about Stanley or Ralph other than what has been shown on the topic 99 Squadron.

John Gilbert

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In case you don't have the info:

London Gazette 3-10-1917

The undermentioned Cadets to be temp. 2nd Lts. (on prob.) :—

General List (R.F.C.).

27 Sept. 1917.

Stanley Claude Gilbert.

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

Steve.

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Hi Steve,

Many thanks for your time & effort it is appreciated.

I did have it also Ralph Buckby for 22 July 1918.

Once again Thank You.

John Gilbert

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Stanley's Confirmation as Second-Lieutenant:

LG 28-5-1918

Air Ministry,

28th May, 1918.

ROYAL AIR FORCE.

The undermentioned temporary appointments are made: —

FLYING BRANCH.

The undermentioned 2nd Lts. (on prob.) to be 2nd Lts. (A. & S.): —

12th Apr. 1918.

S. C. Gilbert.

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

I was already looking for it when you posted, so i thought i'd post it anyway.

Steve.

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Steve,

many thanks for that as I did not have that and neither can I find a promotion to Lieutenant which is the rank engraved on his headstone. I can only assume that he was still a 2nd Lieutenant.

John

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John

You may already have this, as you've clearly done some research on the fate of Lt S C Gilbert and 2Lt R Buckby, RAF, but I thought that I'd post something on their aeroplane in case you don't have it.

The crew were flying DH 9 E632, built under contract by Whitehead Aircraft Co Ltd, of Richmond, in batch E601 to E700. It had a 230hp Siddeley Puma engine. E632 went from the Repair Park at No 2 Aircraft Supply Depot (ASD) to No 2 Air Issues Section in France on 4 August, then to No 3 ASD on 7 August before delivery to No 99 Sqn, Independent Force, RAF on 8 August. It flew on the following missions:

13 September - 2Lt L S Springett & 2Lt J C Barns bombed Metz;

14 September - 2Lt L S Springett & 2Lt J C Barns retired from a raid on Metz due to engine trouble;

14 September - 2Lt E A Bowyer & 2Lt J W Howard retired from a raid on Metz due to engine trouble;

15 September - 2Lt L S Springett & 2Lt J C Barns bombed railways at Metz;

16 September - 2Lt L S Springett & 2Lt J C Barns retired from a raid on Karlsruhe as Barns was sick;

25 September - 2Lt L S Springett & 2Lt J C Barns retired from a raid on Buhl after mistaking a signal (as did the rest of their flight).

As far as I can see, the 26 September raid on Thionville was Lt Gilbert's first mission, while 2Lt Buckby had flown on a number of previous missions:

with 2Lt D F Brooks in D3213 in a raid on Mannheim on 22 August (retired with engine trouble);

with 2Lt D F Brooks in D3213 in a raid on Buhl on 23 August;

with 2Lt D F Brooks in C6092 in a raid on Bettembourg on 25 August;

with 2Lt W H Gillett in D3213 in two raids on Buhl on 2 September;

with 2Lt D F Brooks in D3213 in a raid on Morhange on 3 September;

with 2Lt J Jones in D5573 in a raid on Metz on 15 September.

I hope that this is useful.

Gareth

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Hi Gareth,

I am indebted to you for all this information.

I was aware that Stanley was on his first mission since his first flight on the 17th which was a practice sortie followed by several practice formation flights.

I was totaly unaware of the history of E632 and thank you for that and also for Ralph Buckbys operational sorties.

Once again thank you.

John

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My great uncle Stanley Claude Gilbert was also a pilot on the same raid carried out by 99 Sqn on 26 September 1918 and was killed along with his observer Ralph Buckby.

John. Quite a coincidence that you should follow Stanley Claude's profession as a Military Pilot! Good to see that you are receiving assistance on finding out more about him.

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  • 2 years later...

On the list of "Absent Voters" for Burton Latimer in 1918 Ralph Buckby is noted as being "162165 Cadet 2nd OTTW RAF" Can anyone help me please. Where and what was 2nd OTTW?

Many thanks

John Gilbert

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  • 8 years later...

H John

Stanley is also my great Uncle and I came across this forum whilst doing some on-line research about him. I had never known anything about him, let alone his sad demise until a few days ago. I know that it nearly a decade since this topic was opened, but would be grateful if you could possibly make contact with me through this forum.

 

Regards

 

Vaughan Gilbert (Grandson of Sam Gilbert 

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  • 1 year later...

Hi Mr Vaughan Gilbert,

 

  I'm French (so, sorry for my poor english) and i'm living near Sainte Ruffine. My Grand-parents are also in this cimetery (near Lt SC GILBERT), each time i go to the cimetery, i stay 5 minutes in front of the place of this officer of the RAF. I was asking myself who was this young guy that dead in my region, for my future and i think it's sade to die 2 months before the end of the war. I also think that it's a small "consolation" (consoling in english ?) to have this concession in the cimetery until the end of the time...

 

 Now i know more about him, so thank you.

 

Damien.

 

English and French must never forget they were bother's in Arm during the worst time of the world...I will never forget.

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  • 3 months later...

In a search for my great uncle's grave, I have been looking at other airmen who died around the same time.  2/Lts Gilbert and Buckby died a few days after 2/Lt ACG Fowler and his crew: 2/Lt CC Eaves and 2/Lt JS Ferguson on their mission to Frescaty Aerodrome south of Metz on the evening of September 20, 1918 in their Handley Page O/400 C9732.  I visited the graves recently and have short YouTube videos of their graves at 

Observer 2/Lt R BUCKBY RAF 99 Squadron died 25 Sept 1918 buried in Moulin Les Metz Cemetery France    https://youtu.be/6hczoSU6kBI

Pilot 2/Lt SC Gilbert RAF 99 Squadron died 26 Sept 1918 buried in Sainte Ruffine Cemetery  https://youtu.be/87yosipOmJY

In 2019 wreaths had been laid on the anniversary of Gilbert's death and can be seen in the video--thanks to groups such as Souviens Français who keep their memories alive.

It is most likely that the O/400 crew are buried in Chambière French National Cemetery in Metz as indicated by their International Red Cross Card--in the unmarked 1914-1918 grave--although Garrie Fowler's identity was known at the time of the crash as his effects were returned to his family.

We have written a book about their last mission--and other contemporaneous issues including locations/equipment/the Independent Force/215 Squadron and more--it's available as a FREE eBook at Books2Read/Night Bomber Pilot

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