Frederick T Gibson MM

Frederick Thomas Gibson was born in 1873.

He married Elizabeth Hornsby in the third quarter of 1899 in the West Ham registration district.

The 1911 census records the family living The Common, near Rayne.
Frederick Thomas Gibson - age 38 - House Painter - born Orsett, Essex
Elizabeth Gibson - age 41- born Richmond Middlesex
Elsie Gibson - age 10 - at School - born East Ham, Essex
Herbert Gibson - age 7 - born Blackmore End, Essex

Frederick served as a Corporal with the 73rd Field Company, Royal Engineers. He died aged 44 on 25th June 1917. 

He is buried at the Ypres Town Cemetery Extension, in Belgium.

Military Medal

He was the son of Mr and Mrs Thomas Gibson of Upton Park, London, and the husband of Elizabeth Gibson, who lived at Footpath Cottage, Mole Hill Green, Felsted after the war.

Before the start of the third Battle of Ypres in July 1917, huge mines had been detonated to the south of Ypres to drive the Germans from the higher ground overlooking the area. This took place on 7th June 1917 and was a great success. To consolidate these gains and to prepare for the next phase of the offensive, trenches, earthworks and communications networks had to be established. This work was largely carried out by the Royal Engineers of whom Cpl. Gibson was a member.  The work was not without risk, and there were many casualties due to shell fire, snipers, and German counter attacks. Corporal Gibson was awarded the Military Medal.