Colonel John Hassard Stewart GIBB, D.S.O.

Commanded the 1st Battalion Worcestershire Regiment from April 1903 to March 1907.

Born in Victoria, Melbourne, Australia in 1859. Entering the Army in 1879. He was in the Nile expedition in 1884 and 1885 and was with the Sudan Frontier Force in 1885-6. He had other foreign service, and his decorations included the Brilliant Star of Zanzibar, the Khedive Star, and the Osmanieh Medal. The Royal Humane Society's Medal was awarded him in 1884.

Colonel Gibb served throughout the South African War with the rank of major. He retired from the Army in 1907, but served during the 1914-1918 War as commandant of a base depot, between 1915-16.

Colonel Gibb died, at his home, "Roslyn," Keyhaven Road, Milford, on Sunday 20th August 1933 at the age of 74. He died from contracting a severe chill after returning home from a holiday in Wales. He had resided at Milford for about 20 years, and although he never took an active part in the public life of the district, he will be greatly missed by a very wide circle of personal friends, by whom he was held in affectionate regard.

Following Colonel Gibb's death the Regiment received the following letter from Colonel Edwards, living in New South Wales, Australia at the time:

"I can only recall to mind six of those of the old 29th Regiment who were contemporaries of Colonel Gibb in 1879 and 1880 and who are still to the fore. In those far-off days we youngsters were fairly shrewd in summing up the qualities of each other, and we were from the first impressed with Jack Gibb whom we labelled as one possessed of grit and determination. An exploit of his when on his way up from Bombay to Mhow to join the 29th appealed to us. He was detained for a few days at Deolali, a big Rest Camp. As orderly officer of the day he had to visit any prisoners there might be confined n the cells; with the Provost Sergeant he came to one occupied by a Gunner who had been sentenced by court-martial to be discharged with ignominy. The prisoner, on Gibb reaching his cell, commenced a volume of guli bat. When asked, the P.S. stated that every day the prisoner swore at the officer in similar language. Gibb took off his coat, rolled up his sleeves and told the Sergeant to open the cell door ; he then walked into the cell and told the occupant to put up his fists.

Colonel J. H. S. Gibb, D.S.O.

The incorrigible Gunner, a big burly man, seemed glad to do so, but received in a short time a most severe mauling, and also received a warning to behave himself for the future : whether he did so or not I cannot say, but probably he did so. This shows the grit the young officer possessed. On becoming a Captain in 1886 I left India to join the 2nd Battalion at Portsmouth; there I met Gibb again and our real life-long friendship then began. He had in the intervening years served in the Egyptian Army arid with great distinction, gaining no less than three medals, the Medjidie, the Grand Star of Zanzibar and also the Royal Humane Society's Medal for saving the life of a man in the river Nile. Shortly after the 2nd Battalion left Portsmouth for Pembroke Dock, Gibb was appointed Adjutant of one of our Militia Battalions. In course of time he rose to the command of the 1st Battalion, with which he had served in the South African War with distinction, receiving the Queen's and King's Medals and the D.S.O. When his period of command was over he retired. When the Great War came, he, like many of us old "dug-outs," served again in France and did his bit."


Medals of Colonel J. H. S. Gibb, D.S.O.

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