George Louis Downall Gibbs

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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, but no U-boat losses can be tied to this date.

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

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

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.

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.

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.

See Also

• Service Records
• Wikipedia

Naval Appointments
Preceded by Henry M. Fothergill	Captain of H.M.S. Fervent 10 Aug, 1909 – 1 Jan, 1910	Succeeded by Richard W. U. Bayly
Preceded by Reginald Henniker-Heaton	Captain of H.M.S. Syren 1 Jan, 1910 – 1 Aug, 1911	Succeeded by Kenneth F. Sworder
Preceded by Harold E. Sulivan	Captain of H.M.S. Scourge 1 Aug, 1911 – Jun, 1914	Succeeded by Henry de B. Tupper
Preceded by Frederick E. C. Hurst	Captain of H.M.S. Angler 1 Aug, 1914 – 16 Aug, 1914	Succeeded by Wilfrid G. H. Cree
Preceded by Richard W. U. Bayly	Captain of H.M.S. Crusader 16 Aug, 1914 – 27 Apr, 1915	Succeeded by Thomas K. Maxwell
Preceded by Godfrey F. W. Grayson	Captain of H.M.S. Matchless 27 Apr, 1915 – 26 Nov, 1915	Succeeded by Arthur W. Benson
Preceded by Reginald St. P. Parry	Captain of H.M.S. Medea 6 Dec, 1915 – 16 Jun, 1916	Succeeded by George L. D. Gibbs
Preceded by Lewis G. E. Crabbe	Captain of H.M.S. Ophelia 16 Jun, 1916 – 12 Aug, 1916	Succeeded by Gordon McL. Cameron
Preceded by George L. D. Gibbs	Captain of H.M.S. Medea 12 Aug, 1916 – 25 Aug, 1916	Succeeded by Arthur W. Benson
Preceded by Arthur W. Benson	Captain of H.M.S. Matchless 25 Aug, 1916 – Mar, 1917	Succeeded by Astley D. C. Cooper-Key
Preceded by Astley D. C. Cooper-Key	Captain of H.M.S. Thruster Mar, 1917 – 17 Dec, 1918	Succeeded by George H. Faulkner
Preceded by Charles A. Poignand	Captain of H.M.S. Bryony 21 Feb, 1921 – Jan, 1923	Succeeded by Charles H. A. Cartwright
Preceded by Walter H. G. Fallowfield	Captain of H.M.S. Ganges 25 Apr, 1944 – 1 Feb, 1946	Succeeded by ?