George Louis Downall Gibbs

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Captain (retired) George Louis Downall Gibbs, D.S.O. (30 July, 1882 – 31 October, 1956) was an officer in the Royal Navy.

Life & Career

The son of W. C. Gibb, a Blerk of the Holy Order at the Hagley Rectory in Stourbridge. Gibbs received his first naval appointment to the second class protected cruiser Talbot on 15 September, 1898.[1]

Gibbs was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 30 June, 1904.[2]

Gibbs was appointed in command of the destroyer Scourge on 1 August, 1911. He was chastised for losing torpedo number 22 and damage to number 9 from her in early 1913; it was considered that he had not adequately organized and supervised the torpedo tube crews.[3]

Gibbs was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Commander on 30 June, 1912.[4]

Great War

Though he had been slated to assume command of destroyer Lysander, Gibbs was instead appointed in command of Angler on 1 August, 1914. This lasted just a fortnight, as he was appointed in command of the destroyer Crusader on 16 August, 1914.[5]

Gibbs was mentioned in despatches by Rear-Admiral Hood for his operations on the Belgian Coast between 17 October to 9 November, 1914.[6]

Gibbs was praised for his conduct on the occasion of Matchless's mining on 9 November, 1915.[7]

Gibbs was awarded a D.S.O. by the Vice-Admiral commanding Dover Patrol for his work in leading a division of destroyers in action, gazetted 25 July, 1916.[8]

On the night of 16 July, 1917, Gibb captured some German merchant vessels. Just three nights later, Gibb took H.M.S. Tarpon under tow after she'd struck a mine. That he'd effected this rescue on a bad night and so near an enemy port impressed the Admiralty.[9]

On the night of 25-26 November 1917, Gibb helped rescue the paddle minesweeper H.M.S. Croxton. Gibb was thanked for his assisting in the destruction of a submarine on 11 March 1918,[10] but no U-boat losses can be tied to this date.[11]

Gibbs was praised by the Admiralty for the manner in which he attacked an enemy submarine with his destroyer Thruster on 17 May, 1918.[12]

Gibbs was promoted to the rank of Commander on 30 June, 1918.[13]

Interbellum

Placed on the Retired List at his own request on 22 March, 1923, Gibbs was promoted to the rank of Captain on 30 July, 1927.[14]

World War II

In August, 1939, Gibbs was made a Consular Shipping Adviser in Narvik, staying there until mid 1940.

On 5 September 1941 he was appointed in command of the commando troop ship H.M.S. Queen Emma, vice Kershaw. On 17 March 1942, he was re-appointed in command, and as Senior Officer, Raiding Force "D" – a seemingly very "kinetic" assignment for a man in his late fifties.[15]

In April, 1944, he was appointed in command of Ganges, vice Fallowfield, holding the rank of acting Captain. He reverted to the Retired List after the war, on 16 May, 1946.[16]

See Also

Naval Appointments
Preceded by
Henry M. Fothergill
Captain of H.M.S. Fervent
10 Aug, 1909[17][18] – 1 Jan, 1910[19]
Succeeded by
Richard W. U. Bayly
Preceded by
Reginald Henniker-Heaton
Captain of H.M.S. Syren
1 Jan, 1910[20][21] – 1 Aug, 1911[22]
Succeeded by
Kenneth F. Sworder
Preceded by
Harold E. Sulivan
Captain of H.M.S. Scourge
1 Aug, 1911[23][24] – Jun, 1914[25]
Succeeded by
Henry de B. Tupper
Preceded by
Frederick E. C. Hurst
Captain of H.M.S. Angler
1 Aug, 1914[26] – 16 Aug, 1914[27]
Succeeded by
Wilfrid G. H. Cree
Preceded by
Richard W. U. Bayly
Captain of H.M.S. Crusader
16 Aug, 1914[28][29] – 27 Apr, 1915[30]
Succeeded by
Thomas K. Maxwell
Preceded by
Godfrey F. W. Grayson
Captain of H.M.S. Matchless
27 Apr, 1915[31][32] – 26 Nov, 1915[33]
Succeeded by
Arthur W. Benson
Preceded by
Reginald St. P. Parry
Captain of H.M.S. Medea
6 Dec, 1915[34] – 16 Jun, 1916[35]
Succeeded by
George L. D. Gibbs
Preceded by
Lewis G. E. Crabbe
Captain of H.M.S. Ophelia
16 Jun, 1916[36] – 12 Aug, 1916[37]
Succeeded by
Gordon McL. Cameron
Preceded by
George L. D. Gibbs
Captain of H.M.S. Medea
12 Aug, 1916[38] – 25 Aug, 1916[39]
Succeeded by
Arthur W. Benson
Preceded by
Arthur W. Benson
Captain of H.M.S. Matchless
25 Aug, 1916[40][41] – Mar, 1917[42]
Succeeded by
Astley D. C. Cooper-Key
Preceded by
Astley D. C. Cooper-Key
Captain of H.M.S. Thruster
Mar, 1917[43] – 17 Dec, 1918[44]
Succeeded by
George H. Faulkner
Preceded by
Charles A. Poignand
Captain of H.M.S. Bryony
21 Feb, 1921[45] – Jan, 1923[46]
Succeeded by
Charles H. A. Cartwright
Preceded by
Walter H. G. Fallowfield
Captain of H.M.S. Ganges
25 Apr, 1944[47] – 1 Feb, 1946[48]
Succeeded by
?

Footnotes

  1. Gibbs Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/57/166. f. 371.
  2. Gibbs Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/57/166. f. 371.
  3. Gibbs Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/57/166. f. 371.
  4. Gibbs Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/57/166. f. 371.
  5. The Navy List. (January, 1915). p. 299.
  6. Gibbs Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/57/166. f. 371.
  7. Gibbs Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/57/166. f. 371.
  8. Gibbs Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/57/166. f. 371.
  9. Gibbs Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/57/166. f. 371.
  10. Gibbs Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/57/166. f. 371.
  11. Uboat.net Losses Page.
  12. Gibbs Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/57/166. f. 371.
  13. Gibbs Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/57/166. f. 371.
  14. Gibbs Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/57/166. f. 371.
  15. Gibbs Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/57/166. f. 371.
  16. Gibbs Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/57/166. f. 371.
  17. Gibbs Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/57/166. f. 371.
  18. The Navy List. (January, 1910). p. 316.
  19. Gibbs Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/57/166. f. 371.
  20. Gibbs Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/57/166. f. 371.
  21. The Navy List. (April, 1911). p. 381.
  22. Gibbs Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/57/166. f. 371.
  23. Gibbs Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/57/166. f. 371.
  24. The Navy List. (June, 1914). p. 372.
  25. Gibbs Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/57/166. f. 371.
  26. Gibbs Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/57/166. f. 371.
  27. Gibbs Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/57/166. f. 371.
  28. Gibbs Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/57/166. f. 371.
  29. The Navy List. (April, 1915). p. 393f.
  30. Gibbs Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/57/166. f. 371.
  31. Gibbs Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/57/166. f. 371.
  32. The Navy List. (October, 1915). p. 396.
  33. Gibbs Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/57/166. f. 371.
  34. Gibbs Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/57/166. f. 371.
  35. Gibbs Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/57/166. f. 371.
  36. Gibbs Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/57/166. f. 371.
  37. Gibbs Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/57/166. f. 371.
  38. Gibbs Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/57/166. f. 371.
  39. Gibbs Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/57/166. f. 371.
  40. Gibbs Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/57/166. f. 371.
  41. The Navy List. (December, 1916). p. 396b.
  42. Gibbs Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/57/166. f. 371.
  43. Gibbs Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/57/166. f. 371.
  44. Gibbs Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/57/166. f. 371.
  45. Gibbs Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/57/166. f. 371.
  46. Gibbs Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/57/166. f. 371.
  47. Gibbs Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/57/166. f. 371.
  48. Gibbs Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/57/166. f. 371.