Bobby Gibbes
Encyclopedia
Robert Henry Maxwell Gibbes DSO
, DFC
& Bar
, OAM
(6 May 1916 – 11 April 2007) was a leading Australian fighter ace
of World War II
. He was officially credited with shooting down 10¼ enemy aircraft, although his score is often reported as 12 destroyed. Born in rural New South Wales
, Gibbes worked as a jackaroo
and salesman before joining the Royal Australian Air Force
(RAAF) in February 1940. Posted to the Middle East
in May 1941, he became Commanding Officer of No. 3 Squadron RAAF during the North African campaign
, where his leadership and fighting skills earned him the Distinguished Service Order
and the Distinguished Flying Cross and Bar
. Subsequently posted to the South West Pacific Theatre
, he served with the Australian First Tactical Air Force
, and took part in the "Morotai Mutiny
" of April 1945. After the war he spent many years in New Guinea
, developing local industry, for which he was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in 2004. He died in April 2007, at the age of 90.
, a rural community in New South Wales, Gibbes came from an old colonial family. His great-grandfather, Colonel John George Nathaniel Gibbes
, built his residence "Wotonga" at Kirribilli
; the property was later refurbished to become Sydney's Admiralty House
. Gibbes' grandfather, Augustus Onslow Manby Gibbes, owned Yarralumla
station, now the official residence of Australia's Governor-General
. His father, Henry Edmund Gibbes, was a grazier
. Gibbes attended All Saints College
in Bathurst
and became a jackaroo
after leaving school.
Gibbes was working as a salesman when he joined the Royal Australian Air Force
(RAAF) in February 1940, having exaggerated his height, which was below the minimum requirement, to gain entrance. He was commissioned a Pilot Officer
in June, following flying training at RAAF Station Point Cook, Victoria. Rated an "above average" fighter pilot, he served initially with No. 23 Squadron
in Australia. He was promoted to Flying Officer
in December 1940.
, which arrived in Egypt
in May 1941. Shortly afterwards he transferred to No. 3 Squadron, which was flying Hawker Hurricane
s. In July, after it converted to the P-40 Tomahawk, the squadron took part in the Syria-Lebanon Campaign
. Gibbes claimed his first victory, a Dewoitine D.520
fighter of the Vichy French
air force, on 11 June. No. 3 Squadron then saw action against Italian aircraft of the Regia Aeronautica
during the North African Campaign
. Gibbes had a particularly successful day on 25 November, when he shot down two Fiat G.50
s and damaged three more. He took charge of the squadron in February 1942, after the Tomahawks were replaced by Kittyhawks, and eventually became the unit's longest-serving wartime Commanding Officer (CO).
While leading an attack on a heavily escorted force of German Luftwaffe
bombers near El Adem
, on 26 May, Gibbes was shot down. He had fired at and probably destroyed a Messerschmitt Bf 109 when he was hit by fire from a Junkers Ju 88
and had to bail out
. Part of Gibbes' parachute became entangled with the tailplane of stricken aircraft and he was fortunate to escape. He broke his ankle in the landing but within six weeks was flying again, his leg still in a cast. Due to his enforced absence, fellow ace Nicky Barr
was appointed CO of No. 3 Squadron until he himself was shot down and taken prisoner on 26 June, at which point Gibbes was promoted to temporary Squadron Leader
and again took command of the unit.
Gibbes was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross
(DFC) on 28 July 1942 for his actions on 26 May, the citation noting his "exceptional skill and gallantry". He claimed No. 3 Squadron's 200th victim on 6 November. Around this time he also managed to fly Bf 109F and G fighters captured from the Germans. On 21 December, Gibbes landed his Kittyhawk in rugged terrain to rescue a fellow pilot who had been forced down, throwing out his own parachute to make room in the cockpit
for his passenger. He lost part of his undercarriage
taking off and had to make a one-wheeled landing back at base. Recommended for the Victoria Cross
for this action, he was instead awarded the Distinguished Service Order
, which was promulgated on 15 January 1943 and cited his "outstanding qualities of leadership and enthusiasm". Gibbes himself crash landed behind enemy lines on 14 January 1943, walking 50 miles (80.5 km) in the desert before being picked up by a British Army patrol. He was awarded a bar
to his DFC for this feat, and for his "exceptional leadership, skill and courage, contributing in a large measure to the success of the squadron he commands". Gibbes later described his feelings during and after air combat:
Gibbes' handed over command of No. 3 Squadron to Squadron Leader Brian Eaton
on 21 April 1943. With his temporary rank of Squadron Leader made permanent the same month, Gibbes departed North Africa to serve at RAAF Overseas Headquarters in London
until October. Returning to Australia, he became Chief Flying Instructor at No. 2 Operational Training Unit
, Mildura
, in January 1944. That July he was posted to Darwin
, in the Northern Territory, flying Spitfires
, and later suffered burns in a crash landing following engine failure. In December he married, in his own words, "a little dark-haired popsy" named Jeannine Ince, a volunteer with the Red Cross who had nursed him in hospital.
In April 1945, now a temporary Wing Commander
and stationed at No. 80 Wing
Headquarters of the Australian First Tactical Air Force
(1TAF) in the Dutch East Indies
, Gibbes took part in the "Morotai Mutiny
". He was one of eight senior pilots, including Australia's top-scoring ace, Group Captain Clive Caldwell
, who tendered their resignations in protest at the relegation of RAAF fighter squadrons to apparently worthless ground-attack missions. Gibbes later declared that "... after I myself had been operating for a week or so and had a really good look around and seen the futility of the operations which had been given, I could not see any point in carrying on. I certainly lost all keenness for remaining in the service." As a former jackaroo, one sortie that involved attacking cattle especially upset him: "I felt horrible about it, being an ex bushy ... at about lunch time I went out and darned if I didn't have to turn butcher. And Heavens, it was butchering too, in every sense of the word. No--not the Japs. Cattle ... If we are to get the Japs out of this area without loss of human lives, starvation will be our main weapon ... God, I hated doing it but could do nothing else. Felt as sick as hell." No action was taken against the "mutineers" for their attempted resignations; a government inquiry found that their actions were justified. However, Gibbes and Caldwell were later court martialled for their involvement in alcohol trafficking on Morotai. Both were reduced to the rank of Flight Lieutenant
; the Air Officer Commanding
1TAF, Air Commodore Harry Cobby, himself shortly to be dismissed over the incident, subsequently restored Gibbes to Squadron Leader.
, New South Wales. He then spent most of the next 30 years in New Guinea
, pioneering the island's transport, coffee and hospitality industries. He formed Gibbes Sepik Airways in January 1948 using German Junkers Ju 52
aircraft, one of which had allegedly been the personal transport of Generalfeldmarschall Albert Kesselring
. Gibbes was also a member of the RAAF Active Reserve, based in Townsville
, Queensland, from 1952 until 1957. In 1958, he sold his share in Gibbes Sepik Airways to Mandated Airlines, which was later bought out by Ansett Australia
. He then developed a number of coffee plantations in New Guinea, and built a large chain of hotels beginning with the Bird of Paradise in Goroka
. In his 60s, he single-handledly sailed a catamaran
from England to Australia, braving heavy seas and Malaysian pirates along the way. He sold his interests in New Guinea in 1972.
Gibbes spent most of the 1970s in the Mediterranean, sailing his catamaran
Billabong. He returned to Sydney in 1979, and began building his own twin-engined plane, eventually taking it to the air in 1990. In 1994, Gibbes published his autobiography, You Live But Once. He continued to fly until forced to give up his civil aviation
licence at the age of 85. In 2002, he appeared in an episode of Australian Story
dedicated to fellow No. 3 Squadron ace Nicky Barr. Gibbes was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in 2004 for his work in New Guinea. He died of a stroke at Mona Vale Hospital
in Sydney on 11 April 2007. Aged 90, he was survived by his wife and two daughters. His funeral service at St Thomas' Church, North Sydney
was attended by 350 mourners, including the Chief of Air Force
, Air Marshal Geoff Shepherd
, and 40 members of No. 3 Squadron, including the Commanding Officer. A Spitfire in the "Grey Nurse" livery
of one of his World War II aircraft, and four F/A-18 Hornet
jet fighters from No. 3 Squadron, overflew the church.
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
, DFC
Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Flying Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force and other services, and formerly to officers of other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against...
& Bar
Medal bar
A medal bar or medal clasp is a thin metal bar attached to the ribbon of a military decoration, civil decoration, or other medal. It is most commonly used to indicate the campaign or operation the recipient received the award for, and multiple bars on the same medal are used to indicate that the...
, OAM
Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
(6 May 1916 – 11 April 2007) was a leading Australian fighter ace
Flying ace
A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down several enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The actual number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an "ace" has varied, but is usually considered to be five or more...
of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. He was officially credited with shooting down 10¼ enemy aircraft, although his score is often reported as 12 destroyed. Born in rural New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, Gibbes worked as a jackaroo
Jackaroo (trainee)
A Jackaroo is a young man working on a sheep or cattle station, to gain practical experience in the skills needed to become an owner, overseer, manager, etc. The word originated in Queensland, Australia in the Nineteenth Century and is still in use in Australia and New Zealand in the twenty-first...
and salesman before joining the Royal Australian Air Force
Royal Australian Air Force
The Royal Australian Air Force is the air force branch of the Australian Defence Force. The RAAF was formed in March 1921. It continues the traditions of the Australian Flying Corps , which was formed on 22 October 1912. The RAAF has taken part in many of the 20th century's major conflicts...
(RAAF) in February 1940. Posted to the Middle East
Middle East Theatre of World War II
The Middle East Theatre of World War II is defined largely by reference to the British Middle East Command, which controlled Allied forces in both Southwest Asia and eastern North Africa...
in May 1941, he became Commanding Officer of No. 3 Squadron RAAF during the North African campaign
North African campaign
During the Second World War, the North African Campaign took place in North Africa from 10 June 1940 to 13 May 1943. It included campaigns fought in the Libyan and Egyptian deserts and in Morocco and Algeria and Tunisia .The campaign was fought between the Allies and Axis powers, many of whom had...
, where his leadership and fighting skills earned him the Distinguished Service Order
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
and the Distinguished Flying Cross and Bar
Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Flying Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force and other services, and formerly to officers of other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against...
. Subsequently posted to the South West Pacific Theatre
South West Pacific theatre of World War II
The South West Pacific Theatre, technically the South West Pacific Area, between 1942 and 1945, was one of two designated area commands and war theatres enumerated by the Combined Chiefs of Staff of World War II in the Pacific region....
, he served with the Australian First Tactical Air Force
Australian First Tactical Air Force
The Australian First Tactical Air Force was formed on 25 October 1944 by the Royal Australian Air Force . Its purpose was to provide a mobile force of fighter and ground attack aircraft that could support Allied army and naval units fighting the Empire of Japan in the South West Pacific Area...
, and took part in the "Morotai Mutiny
Morotai Mutiny
The "Morotai Mutiny" was an incident in April 1945 involving members of the Australian First Tactical Air Force based on the island of Morotai, in the Dutch East Indies...
" of April 1945. After the war he spent many years in New Guinea
New Guinea
New Guinea is the world's second largest island, after Greenland, covering a land area of 786,000 km2. Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, it lies geographically to the east of the Malay Archipelago, with which it is sometimes included as part of a greater Indo-Australian Archipelago...
, developing local industry, for which he was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in 2004. He died in April 2007, at the age of 90.
Early career
Born in YoungYoung, New South Wales
-Demographics:On census night, 7 August 2001, there were 6,821 people counted in Young. There were 238 people who identified as being of Indigenous origin in the 2001 Census...
, a rural community in New South Wales, Gibbes came from an old colonial family. His great-grandfather, Colonel John George Nathaniel Gibbes
John George Nathaniel Gibbes
Colonel John George Nathaniel Gibbes was a British army officer who emigrated to Australia in 1834, becoming a Crown-appointed member of the New South Wales Legislative Council and the Collector of Customs for the Colony of New South Wales for a record term of 25 years.In his capacity as head of...
, built his residence "Wotonga" at Kirribilli
Kirribilli, New South Wales
Kirribilli is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is located three kilometres north of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area administered by North Sydney Council...
; the property was later refurbished to become Sydney's Admiralty House
Admiralty House, Sydney
Admiralty House is the official Sydney residence of the Governor-General of Australia. It is located in the suburb of Kirribilli, on the northern foreshore of Sydney Harbour . This large, Italianate, sandstone mansion occupies the tip of Kirribilli Point...
. Gibbes' grandfather, Augustus Onslow Manby Gibbes, owned Yarralumla
Yarralumla
Yarralumla may refer to:* Government House, Canberra, the residence of the Governor-General of Australia known as Yarralumla* Yarralumla, Australian Capital Territory, a suburb of Canberra* Yarralumla Primary School...
station, now the official residence of Australia's Governor-General
Governor-General
A Governor-General, is a vice-regal person of a monarch in an independent realm or a major colonial circonscription. Depending on the political arrangement of the territory, a Governor General can be a governor of high rank, or a principal governor ranking above "ordinary" governors.- Current uses...
. His father, Henry Edmund Gibbes, was a grazier
Station (Australian agriculture)
Station is the term for a large Australian landholding used for livestock production. It corresponds to the North American term ranch or South American estancia...
. Gibbes attended All Saints College
All Saints College, Bathurst
All Saints' College is an independent, co-educational Christian college in the Anglican tradition. Located in Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia, the college caters for day students from Transition to Year 12 and boarders from Years 7 to 12....
in Bathurst
Bathurst, New South Wales
-CBD and suburbs:Bathurst's CBD is located on William, George, Howick, Russell, and Durham Streets. The CBD is approximately 25 hectares and surrounds two city blocks. Within this block layout is banking, government services, shopping centres, retail shops, a park* and monuments...
and became a jackaroo
Jackaroo (trainee)
A Jackaroo is a young man working on a sheep or cattle station, to gain practical experience in the skills needed to become an owner, overseer, manager, etc. The word originated in Queensland, Australia in the Nineteenth Century and is still in use in Australia and New Zealand in the twenty-first...
after leaving school.
Gibbes was working as a salesman when he joined the Royal Australian Air Force
Royal Australian Air Force
The Royal Australian Air Force is the air force branch of the Australian Defence Force. The RAAF was formed in March 1921. It continues the traditions of the Australian Flying Corps , which was formed on 22 October 1912. The RAAF has taken part in many of the 20th century's major conflicts...
(RAAF) in February 1940, having exaggerated his height, which was below the minimum requirement, to gain entrance. He was commissioned a Pilot Officer
Pilot Officer
Pilot officer is the lowest commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries. It ranks immediately below flying officer...
in June, following flying training at RAAF Station Point Cook, Victoria. Rated an "above average" fighter pilot, he served initially with No. 23 Squadron
No. 23 Squadron RAAF
No. 23 Squadron of the Royal Australian Air Force is a non-flying base operations and training squadron headquartered at RAAF Base Amberley near Brisbane, Queensland. The Squadron was formed in 1937 and saw action during World War II as a bomber squadron.-History:No...
in Australia. He was promoted to Flying Officer
Flying Officer
Flying officer is a junior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence...
in December 1940.
North Africa and the Middle East
Gibbes served briefly with No. 450 Squadron RAAFNo. 450 Squadron RAAF
No. 450 Squadron was a unit of the Royal Australian Air Force during World War II. It was the second RAAF Article XV squadron formed for service with the British military, under the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan...
, which arrived in Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
in May 1941. Shortly afterwards he transferred to No. 3 Squadron, which was flying Hawker Hurricane
Hawker Hurricane
The Hawker Hurricane is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd for the Royal Air Force...
s. In July, after it converted to the P-40 Tomahawk, the squadron took part in the Syria-Lebanon Campaign
Syria-Lebanon campaign
The Syria–Lebanon campaign, also known as Operation Exporter, was the Allied invasion of Vichy French-controlled Syria and Lebanon, in June–July 1941, during World War II. Time Magazine referred to the fighting as a "mixed show" while it was taking place and the campaign remains little known, even...
. Gibbes claimed his first victory, a Dewoitine D.520
Dewoitine D.520
The Dewoitine D.520 was a French fighter aircraft that entered service in early 1940, shortly after the opening of World War II. Unlike the Morane-Saulnier M.S.406, which was at that time the Armée de l'Airs most numerous fighter, the Dewoitine D.520 came close to being a match for the latest...
fighter of the Vichy French
Vichy France
Vichy France, Vichy Regime, or Vichy Government, are common terms used to describe the government of France that collaborated with the Axis powers from July 1940 to August 1944. This government succeeded the Third Republic and preceded the Provisional Government of the French Republic...
air force, on 11 June. No. 3 Squadron then saw action against Italian aircraft of the Regia Aeronautica
Regia Aeronautica
The Italian Royal Air Force was the name of the air force of the Kingdom of Italy. It was established as a service independent of the Royal Italian Army from 1923 until 1946...
during the North African Campaign
North African campaign
During the Second World War, the North African Campaign took place in North Africa from 10 June 1940 to 13 May 1943. It included campaigns fought in the Libyan and Egyptian deserts and in Morocco and Algeria and Tunisia .The campaign was fought between the Allies and Axis powers, many of whom had...
. Gibbes had a particularly successful day on 25 November, when he shot down two Fiat G.50
Fiat G.50
The Fiat G.50 Freccia was a World War II Italian fighter aircraft. First flown in February 1937, the G.50 was Italy’s first single-seat, all-metal monoplane with an enclosed cockpit and retractable landing gear to go into production...
s and damaged three more. He took charge of the squadron in February 1942, after the Tomahawks were replaced by Kittyhawks, and eventually became the unit's longest-serving wartime Commanding Officer (CO).
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
bombers near El Adem
Gamal Abdul El Nasser Air Base
Gamal Abdul El Nasser Air Base is a Libyan Air Force base, located about 16 km south of Tobruk. It is believed to have once had about 60 or 70 Mirage F.1EDs aircraft assigned....
, on 26 May, Gibbes was shot down. He had fired at and probably destroyed a Messerschmitt Bf 109 when he was hit by fire from a Junkers Ju 88
Junkers Ju 88
The Junkers Ju 88 was a World War II German Luftwaffe twin-engine, multi-role aircraft. Designed by Hugo Junkers' company through the services of two American aviation engineers in the mid-1930s, it suffered from a number of technical problems during the later stages of its development and early...
and had to bail out
Parachute
A parachute is a device used to slow the motion of an object through an atmosphere by creating drag, or in the case of ram-air parachutes, aerodynamic lift. Parachutes are usually made out of light, strong cloth, originally silk, now most commonly nylon...
. Part of Gibbes' parachute became entangled with the tailplane of stricken aircraft and he was fortunate to escape. He broke his ankle in the landing but within six weeks was flying again, his leg still in a cast. Due to his enforced absence, fellow ace Nicky Barr
Nicky Barr
Andrew William "Nicky" Barr, OBE, MC, DFC & Bar was a member of the Australian national rugby union team who became a fighter ace in the Royal Australian Air Force during World War II. He was credited with twelve aerial victories, all scored flying the Curtiss P-40...
was appointed CO of No. 3 Squadron until he himself was shot down and taken prisoner on 26 June, at which point Gibbes was promoted to temporary Squadron Leader
Squadron Leader
Squadron Leader is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence. It is also sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in countries which have a non-English air force-specific rank structure. In these...
and again took command of the unit.
Gibbes was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross
Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Flying Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force and other services, and formerly to officers of other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against...
(DFC) on 28 July 1942 for his actions on 26 May, the citation noting his "exceptional skill and gallantry". He claimed No. 3 Squadron's 200th victim on 6 November. Around this time he also managed to fly Bf 109F and G fighters captured from the Germans. On 21 December, Gibbes landed his Kittyhawk in rugged terrain to rescue a fellow pilot who had been forced down, throwing out his own parachute to make room in the cockpit
Cockpit
A cockpit or flight deck is the area, usually near the front of an aircraft, from which a pilot controls the aircraft. Most modern cockpits are enclosed, except on some small aircraft, and cockpits on large airliners are also physically separated from the cabin...
for his passenger. He lost part of his undercarriage
Undercarriage
The undercarriage or landing gear in aviation, is the structure that supports an aircraft on the ground and allows it to taxi, takeoff and land...
taking off and had to make a one-wheeled landing back at base. Recommended for the Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
for this action, he was instead awarded the Distinguished Service Order
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
, which was promulgated on 15 January 1943 and cited his "outstanding qualities of leadership and enthusiasm". Gibbes himself crash landed behind enemy lines on 14 January 1943, walking 50 miles (80.5 km) in the desert before being picked up by a British Army patrol. He was awarded a bar
Medal bar
A medal bar or medal clasp is a thin metal bar attached to the ribbon of a military decoration, civil decoration, or other medal. It is most commonly used to indicate the campaign or operation the recipient received the award for, and multiple bars on the same medal are used to indicate that the...
to his DFC for this feat, and for his "exceptional leadership, skill and courage, contributing in a large measure to the success of the squadron he commands". Gibbes later described his feelings during and after air combat:
South West Pacific
Brian Eaton
Air Vice Marshal Brian Alexander Eaton CB, CBE, DSO & Bar, DFC was a senior commander in the Royal Australian Air Force . Born in Tasmania and raised in Victoria, he joined the RAAF in 1936 and was promoted to Flight Lieutenant on the outbreak of World War II...
on 21 April 1943. With his temporary rank of Squadron Leader made permanent the same month, Gibbes departed North Africa to serve at RAAF Overseas Headquarters in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
until October. Returning to Australia, he became Chief Flying Instructor at No. 2 Operational Training Unit
No. 2 Operational Conversion Unit RAAF
No. 2 Operational Conversion Unit is a Royal Australian Air Force training unit located at RAAF Base Williamtown. 2OCU's main role is to train pilots to operate the F/A-18 Hornet. New RAAF pilots enter 2OCU for training after first qualifying to fly jet fighters in No. 76 Squadron...
, Mildura
Mildura, Victoria
Mildura is a regional city in northwestern Victoria, Australia and seat of the Rural City of Mildura local government area. It is located in the Sunraysia region, and is on the banks of the Murray River. The current population is estimated at just over 30,000.Mildura is a major agricultural centre...
, in January 1944. That July he was posted to Darwin
Darwin, Northern Territory
Darwin is the capital city of the Northern Territory, Australia. Situated on the Timor Sea, Darwin has a population of 127,500, making it by far the largest and most populated city in the sparsely populated Northern Territory, but the least populous of all Australia's capital cities...
, in the Northern Territory, flying Spitfires
Supermarine Spitfire
The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was used by the Royal Air Force and many other Allied countries throughout the Second World War. The Spitfire continued to be used as a front line fighter and in secondary roles into the 1950s...
, and later suffered burns in a crash landing following engine failure. In December he married, in his own words, "a little dark-haired popsy" named Jeannine Ince, a volunteer with the Red Cross who had nursed him in hospital.
In April 1945, now a temporary Wing Commander
Wing Commander (rank)
Wing commander is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries...
and stationed at No. 80 Wing
No. 80 Wing RAAF
No. 80 Wing was a Royal Australian Air Force wing of World War II. The unit was formed on 15 May 1944 and eventually comprised three squadrons equipped with Spitfire fighter aircraft. The wing's headquarters was absorbed into the newly formed No...
Headquarters of the Australian First Tactical Air Force
Australian First Tactical Air Force
The Australian First Tactical Air Force was formed on 25 October 1944 by the Royal Australian Air Force . Its purpose was to provide a mobile force of fighter and ground attack aircraft that could support Allied army and naval units fighting the Empire of Japan in the South West Pacific Area...
(1TAF) in the Dutch East Indies
Dutch East Indies
The Dutch East Indies was a Dutch colony that became modern Indonesia following World War II. It was formed from the nationalised colonies of the Dutch East India Company, which came under the administration of the Netherlands government in 1800....
, Gibbes took part in the "Morotai Mutiny
Morotai Mutiny
The "Morotai Mutiny" was an incident in April 1945 involving members of the Australian First Tactical Air Force based on the island of Morotai, in the Dutch East Indies...
". He was one of eight senior pilots, including Australia's top-scoring ace, Group Captain Clive Caldwell
Clive Caldwell
Group Captain Clive Robertson Caldwell DSO, DFC & Bar was the leading Australian air ace of World War II. He is officially credited with shooting down 28.5 enemy aircraft in over 300 operational sorties. In addition to his official score, he has been ascribed six probables and 15 damaged...
, who tendered their resignations in protest at the relegation of RAAF fighter squadrons to apparently worthless ground-attack missions. Gibbes later declared that "... after I myself had been operating for a week or so and had a really good look around and seen the futility of the operations which had been given, I could not see any point in carrying on. I certainly lost all keenness for remaining in the service." As a former jackaroo, one sortie that involved attacking cattle especially upset him: "I felt horrible about it, being an ex bushy ... at about lunch time I went out and darned if I didn't have to turn butcher. And Heavens, it was butchering too, in every sense of the word. No--not the Japs. Cattle ... If we are to get the Japs out of this area without loss of human lives, starvation will be our main weapon ... God, I hated doing it but could do nothing else. Felt as sick as hell." No action was taken against the "mutineers" for their attempted resignations; a government inquiry found that their actions were justified. However, Gibbes and Caldwell were later court martialled for their involvement in alcohol trafficking on Morotai. Both were reduced to the rank of Flight Lieutenant
Flight Lieutenant
Flight lieutenant is a junior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many Commonwealth countries. It ranks above flying officer and immediately below squadron leader. The name of the rank is the complete phrase; it is never shortened to "lieutenant"...
; the Air Officer Commanding
Air Officer Commanding
Air Officer Commanding is a title given in the air forces of Commonwealth nations to an air officer who holds a command appointment. Thus, an air vice marshal might be the AOC 38 Group...
1TAF, Air Commodore Harry Cobby, himself shortly to be dismissed over the incident, subsequently restored Gibbes to Squadron Leader.
Post-war career and later life
Following his discharge from the RAAF in January 1946, Gibbes was initially employed as a stock and station agent in CoonambleCoonamble, New South Wales
Coonamble is a town on the central-western plains of New South Wales, Australia. It lies on the Castlereagh Highway north-west of Gilgandra. At the 2006 census, Coonamble had a population of 2,549...
, New South Wales. He then spent most of the next 30 years in New Guinea
New Guinea
New Guinea is the world's second largest island, after Greenland, covering a land area of 786,000 km2. Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, it lies geographically to the east of the Malay Archipelago, with which it is sometimes included as part of a greater Indo-Australian Archipelago...
, pioneering the island's transport, coffee and hospitality industries. He formed Gibbes Sepik Airways in January 1948 using German Junkers Ju 52
Junkers Ju 52
The Junkers Ju 52 was a German transport aircraft manufactured from 1932 to 1945. It saw both civilian and military service during the 1930s and 1940s. In a civilian role, it flew with over 12 air carriers including Swissair and Deutsche Luft Hansa as an airliner and freight hauler...
aircraft, one of which had allegedly been the personal transport of Generalfeldmarschall Albert Kesselring
Albert Kesselring
Albert Kesselring was a German Luftwaffe Generalfeldmarschall during World War II. In a military career that spanned both World Wars, Kesselring became one of Nazi Germany's most skilful commanders, being one of 27 soldiers awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords...
. Gibbes was also a member of the RAAF Active Reserve, based in Townsville
Townsville, Queensland
Townsville is a city on the north-eastern coast of Australia, in the state of Queensland. Adjacent to the central section of the Great Barrier Reef, it is in the dry tropics region of Queensland. Townsville is Australia's largest urban centre north of the Sunshine Coast, with a 2006 census...
, Queensland, from 1952 until 1957. In 1958, he sold his share in Gibbes Sepik Airways to Mandated Airlines, which was later bought out by Ansett Australia
Ansett Australia
Ansett Australia, Ansett, Ansett Airlines of Australia, or ANSETT-ANA as it was commonly known in earlier years, was a major Australian airline group, based in Melbourne. The airlines flew domestically within Australia and to destinations in Asia during its operation in 1996...
. He then developed a number of coffee plantations in New Guinea, and built a large chain of hotels beginning with the Bird of Paradise in Goroka
Goroka
Goroka is the capital of the Eastern Highlands Province of Papua New Guinea. It is a town of approximately 19,000 people , 1600m above sea level. It has an airport and is on the "Highlands Highway", about 285 km from Lae in Morobe province and 90 km from the nearby town of Kainantu also...
. In his 60s, he single-handledly sailed a catamaran
Catamaran
A catamaran is a type of multihulled boat or ship consisting of two hulls, or vakas, joined by some structure, the most basic being a frame, formed of akas...
from England to Australia, braving heavy seas and Malaysian pirates along the way. He sold his interests in New Guinea in 1972.
Gibbes spent most of the 1970s in the Mediterranean, sailing his catamaran
Catamaran
A catamaran is a type of multihulled boat or ship consisting of two hulls, or vakas, joined by some structure, the most basic being a frame, formed of akas...
Billabong. He returned to Sydney in 1979, and began building his own twin-engined plane, eventually taking it to the air in 1990. In 1994, Gibbes published his autobiography, You Live But Once. He continued to fly until forced to give up his civil aviation
Civil aviation
Civil aviation is one of two major categories of flying, representing all non-military aviation, both private and commercial. Most of the countries in the world are members of the International Civil Aviation Organization and work together to establish common standards and recommended practices...
licence at the age of 85. In 2002, he appeared in an episode of Australian Story
Australian Story
Australian Story is a national weekly documentary series, produced and broadcast on ABC Television.Since 1996 Australian Story has featured many Australians from diverse backgrounds and reputations...
dedicated to fellow No. 3 Squadron ace Nicky Barr. Gibbes was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in 2004 for his work in New Guinea. He died of a stroke at Mona Vale Hospital
Mona Vale Hospital
Mona Vale Hospital is a 156 bed district hospital located in the suburb of Mona Vale in the Northern Beaches area of Sydney, Australia.The Northern Sydney and Central Coast Health Service is responsible for the management of Mona Vale Hospital....
in Sydney on 11 April 2007. Aged 90, he was survived by his wife and two daughters. His funeral service at St Thomas' Church, North Sydney
North Sydney, New South Wales
North Sydney is a suburb and commercial district on the Lower North Shore of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. North Sydney is located 3 kilometres north of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre for the local government area of North Sydney...
was attended by 350 mourners, including the Chief of Air Force
Chief of Air Force
Chief of Air Force is the most senior appointment in the Royal Australian Air Force , responsible to the Chief of the Defence Force and the Secretary of Defence. The rank associated with the position is Air Marshal . The role encompasses "the delivery of aerospace capability, enhancing the Air...
, Air Marshal Geoff Shepherd
Geoff Shepherd
Air Marshal Geoffrey David Shepherd AO is a retired senior officer in the Royal Australian Air Force, serving as its Chief from 2005 until 2008.-Service history:...
, and 40 members of No. 3 Squadron, including the Commanding Officer. A Spitfire in the "Grey Nurse" livery
Livery
A livery is a uniform, insignia or symbol adorning, in a non-military context, a person, an object or a vehicle that denotes a relationship between the wearer of the livery and an individual or corporate body. Often, elements of the heraldry relating to the individual or corporate body feature in...
of one of his World War II aircraft, and four F/A-18 Hornet
F/A-18 Hornet
The McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet is a supersonic, all-weather carrier-capable multirole fighter jet, designed to dogfight and attack ground targets . Designed by McDonnell Douglas and Northrop, the F/A-18 was derived from the latter's YF-17 in the 1970s for use by the United States Navy and...
jet fighters from No. 3 Squadron, overflew the church.