16276 Private William Arthur Gibson
8th(Service)Battalion
Devonshire Regiment
1st July 1916
Born in Islington, London in 1891.
He was baptised on 04/03/1894.
His parents were James Henry Gibson (1870-1908) and
Mary Maria Dean(1871-1949).
William had 6 brothers; James Henry(born in 1889),
John Thomas(born on 26/06/1898),
Arthur Theophilus(26/08/1900-1991),
Albert(26/08/1902-1903), Walter Henry(born in 1907)
and George(born in 1909).
He also had 3 sisters; Winifred Hilda(1894-1902), Beatrice(born on 07/07/1896) and Mary(born in 1906).
In the 1901 census,the family were recorded as living at
46 Georges Road,Islington,London.James Gibson was employed as a firewood dealer.
By the time of the 1911 census James Gibson had died in 1908(his wife remarried in 1915 to William H Galt)and the family had moved to
6a Charles Street,Holloway,Islington,London.
William was employed as a van guard for a jam manufacturer.
At the outbreak of war William enlisted in Islington on 24/08/1914 as Private 10689 in the
3rd Battalion Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry. He was posted to Bodmin on 25/08/1914.
On the day of enlistment,William was 23 years and 216 days old and his trade was that of bake house porter.
He was 5' 2 3/4",weighed 104lbs. His girth when fully expanded was 34 inches - range of expansion 3 inches.
His complexion was sallow, Eyes were blue and hair was brown. It was noted that he had a small meibomian cyst in his right eye(A chalazion is a firm round lump in the upper or lower eyelid caused by chronic inflammation/blockage of the meinomian gland. It can sometimes be mistaken for a stye. Unless acutely infected it is harmless and nearly all resolve if given enough time).
He was discharged on 07/12/1914 as no longer physically fit for war service. He had defective vision and could not see letters on test type.
William applied for re-enlistment on 20/01/1915 into 3rd Battalion Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry;though probably not successful,he was able to enlist into the 8th(Service)Battalion ,Devonshire Regiment as Private 16276.
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His date of disembarkation into France was on 02/09/1915. He was killed in action on 01/07/1916.
He was awarded the 1914-1915 Star,the 1914-1918 British War and Allied Victory medals.