The Soldier's Details

Surname:
Gibbs
First Name:
Stuart Henry
Rank:
Private
Regimental #:
WX9255
Company:
‘A’ Company, No. 6 Platoon
Enlisted:
30.10.1940
DOB:
29.11.1903
Place of Birth:
Cardiff, Wales
Father's Name:
Henry Gibbs
Mothers's Name:
Catherine Jemma Gibbs
Religion:
Methodist
Pre-war Occupation:
Dairy Manager
Memorial:
Epitaph, Labuan Memorial, Panel 18, Age 41.
Singapore:
Selarang Camp and Barracks Changi
Force:
'E' Force Borneo
POW#:
3/7872 & 1717
Cause of Death:
Acute Enteritis
Place of Death:
Sandakan No. 1 Camp
Date of Death:
24.02.1945

General Description

EPSON MFP image
Stuart Henry Gibbs

 

Please read about ‘B’ and ‘E’ Forces Borneo

Also please see map of Sandakan to Ranau and photos of all West Australians who perished.

 

It appears Stuart had quickly taken his hat off for this photograph.

 

‘SA. Paybook photograph, taken on enlistment, of WX9255 Private Stuart Henry Gibbs, 2/4th Machine Gun Battalion, Australian Infantry. He was one of over 2000 Allied prisoners of war (POW) held in the Sandakan POW camp in north Borneo, having been transferred there from Singapore as a part of E Force. The 500 Australian and 500 British POW’s who made up E Force, left Changi on 28 March 1943, on board the S.S. DeKlerk arriving at Berhala Island (adjacent to Sandakan Harbour) on 15 April 1943. The POW’s were held there until 5 June, when they were taken by barge to Sandakan. The next day they were transferred to the 8 Mile Camp, which was about half a mile from the B Force compound. Private Gibbs, aged 41, died as a prisoner of the Japanese on 24 February 1945. He was the son of Henry and Catherine J. Gibbs, and the husband of Lillian May Gibbs, of Woodville, SA. He is commemorated on the Labuan Memorial Panel 18. (Photograph copied from AWM232, items 4 and 5. Personal information from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Database.)’

 

Below:  From The Argus, Melbourne

 

Gibbs Stewart Henry Albany Advertiser (WA _ 1897 - 1950), Monday 25 February 1946, page 1

Above:  From Albany Advertiser, February 1946

Above from Advertiser, Adelaide.

Above:  Printed 1947

Above:  Printed 1947, Adelaide Advertiser.

Stuart was from Albany.

His name is inscribed on Albany WW2 Memorial

He departed London, England on ‘Largs Bay’  8 July 1924.

In 1931 Stuart Gibbs married at Katanning to Lillian May Bridgeman who was born South Australia.  She died in 1981 at Adelaide having returned to SA probably to be with her family about 1943.

During the years 1931 to 1937 Stuart and Lillian were farming at Ongerup.  We do know Stuart enlisted at Albany, and the couple had a family tragedy when their baby son Alan was born 1935 and died soon after.

When he enlisted AIF 30 Nov 1940 he had been working as a dairyhand and address was c/- North Albany Post Office.

Gibbs later joined ‘A’ Company No 6 Platoon under Commanding Officers Lt John Morrison & Lt. Branson.

 

 

 

 

 

Camp Locations:

  • Selarang Barracks Changi - Singapore
  • Selarang Camp Changi - Singapore
  • Sandakan - Borneo ***
  • Lintang Officers Camp, Kuching - Sarawak
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