(There seems to be a discrepancy in the spelling of this serviceman’s  name, being recorded as ‘Gibbons’ on the Jacksdale Memorial and in The Free Press, but recorded as ‘Gibbins’ in the Regiment Casualty lists and on ‘The Soldiers Died in the Great War CD’.) 

Born in Belgrave, Leicester and later a resident of Jacksdale.  We have, as yet, been unable to establish any further family history or trace any living relatives. There is, however, a Walter Gibbons, ‘Boot Repairer’ of Selston Parish, mentioned in the Kelly’s Directory for the years 1908 and 1912 and we would welcome any information which may confirm a connection.  An elderly resident has told us that William lived at 16, Main Road, Jacksdale.   

The ‘Selston Roll of Honour’ published in the Free Press in early 1917, reports that William Gibbins enlisted in Cardiff  in September 1914.  

The 8^th Royal Munsters were raised in September 1914.  Training took place at Buttevant, Fermoy, Mitchelstown, Kilworth Camp, Templemore and Fermoy, moving to Dettingen Barracks, Black-down in August 1915.  It was from Black-down that the Regiment boarded  troop trains en-route for Southampton, sailing for France at  6 p.m. on 17^th December 1915,  aboard ‘The Empress Queen’. The Battalion disembarked at Le Havre, travelled by train to Fauquerie, and marched, on the 19^th December 1915, to Verquin, where they were billeted.  They sustained their first loss on Christmas Eve, when Second-Lieutenant PS MacMahon was hit by a stray bullet, whilst supervising a trench working party.  By January 1916, they were on duty on the Loos Front.  

 In May 1916, they found themselves being ridiculed by the Germans who, having heard about the Easter Rising in Dublin, had raised large placards in their trenches, clearly visible to the Battalion, one of which read, “Irishmen!  Heavy uproar in Ireland.  English guns are firing at your wives and children!” The placard was captured by one Lt. Biggane and his men, on 10^th May and later presented to His Majesty George V, who applauded their loyalty and gallantry.  

As yet, we have no specific information about Sgt Gibbon’s personal service career but it would appear that he attained the rank of Sgt, fairly rapidly, with only two years service to his name. In 1881, during Lord Cardwell’s ‘Military Reform of The Army’ the old numerical regimental designations were re-organised into territories corresponding to the locality with which they were connected.  The Royal Munsters took their name from the Irish Province of Munster,  embracing the counties of Kerry, Cork, Limerick and Clare.  Their main depot was situated at the Tralee Barracks, County Kerry.  In peacetime a regiment might have perhaps only two battalions, but during WW1, the Royal Munsters had nine battalions in service. William Gibbins was serving in this so called ‘New Army’ as a volunteer,  which perhaps may indicate that he was of Irish descent. 

On Sunday 3^rd September 1916  William Wood Gibbins was killed in action, in France.  Information from the Royal Munster’s Regimental historian suggests that he may have been killed during the attack at Guillemont, as the Munsters sustained 265 casualties during that attack.  Only a few months after his death, on 23^rd November 1916, the 8^th Royal Munster Fusiliers, suffering diminishing numbers, were absorbed into the 1^st Battalion Royal Munster Fusiliers. The Royal Munster Fusiliers were disbanded in 1922. 

Sgt Gibbins is buried at Delville Wood Cemetery, Longueval, Somme.  There are 5,523 soldiers of all nationalities commemorated here, of which, 3,593 are unidentified.  The Cemetery was created after the Armistice and almost all of those commemorated fell between July and September 1916.  

Recommended Reading:  “The History of the Royal Munster Fusiliers.” Volume II, 1861- 1922 by Captain S. McCance, published 1927.  Printed by Gale & Polden Ltd., Aldershot. 

Special thanks go to James. F. O’Sullivan, Royal Munster Fusilier’s historian, now resident in Brisbane, Australia, who has provided much of the above information. Please give James your support by visiting his website which is dedicated to the memory of all Irish Soldiers and The Royal Munster Fusiliers. 

 www.netspace.net.au/~finbarr/