Loveden.org.uk

James Thomas Gibson

James Thomas Gibson was born in Woolsthorpe in 1894, the eldest son of James Thomas and Mary Anne Gibson.   By 1901 the family had moved to Gate House, Claypole (near the Railway Tavern) where his father worked as a railway platelayer.   His father then became a farm foreman and the family were in Hougham, then back to Sedgebrook (Walk Farm) before moving to Long Street, Foston.

At the start of the Great War James Thomas joined 6th Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment at Grantham.

The battalion trained in Grantham before being sent to Gallipoli in 1915. On 1 Jul they sailed from Liverpool to Alexandria.  Then via Mudros to Cape Helles on the Gallipoli peninsula.  After 11 days ashore they were withdrawn for a landing further up the coast at Suvla Bay on the night of 6/7th August.  On the afternoon of 7th they captured Chocolate Hill at Yilghin Bumu in a bayonet charge.

At dawn on 9th August they attacked again but were held up by rifle fire. They dug in until midday but suffered many casualties and were forced to withdraw because of the heat from fires in the dry scrub covering the hill.  Realising many wounded men were left behind in the burning scrub, Capt Hansen ran back several times to rescue wounded men, for which he was awarded the Victoria Cross.

Private Gibson was missing, presumed killed during this action (as was L/Cpl Charles Saxelby from Belton).  His body was never identified and he is commemorated on the Helles Memorial.