Gibson, Ernest Reuben

No.3422 – Trooper Ernest Rueben Gibson – 10^th Light Horse

Ernest was the elder brother of Edward, having been born in 1890 to Thomas and Margaret Gibson. Ernie was educated in Fremantle and after leaving school he took up work as a fireman.

Ernie enlisted in the AIF at the Fremantle Drill Hall on the 7^th April 1917, shortly after news had come through of his Step Brother Theo’s death on the Western Front. He was given a medical assessment and was found to be fit for service with the medical officer recording his physical attributes as 5 feet 8 inches in height; weight of 160lbs; chest measurement of 38-39 inches, fresh complexion, hazel eyes and light brown hair. Ernie also had several tattoos, most notably of a kangaroo on his right arm and a woman on his left arm.

Ernie was sent to Claremont Showgrounds Camp where he was assigned to the 29^th Reinforcements to the 10^th Light Horse Regiment and he was joined here by his brother George. On the 30^th June 1917 this reinforcement group left Fremantle Harbour and sailed for the Middle East upon the HMAT Port Lincoln. The journey took more than a month as the ship berthed at Suez on the 6^th August 1917. Upon being disembarked Ernie was sent to the 3^rd Light Horse Training Regiment. He spent some time here, only being taken on strength of the 10^th Light Horse Regiment on the 26^th September 1917.

Ernie served with the 10^th Light Horse during the Beersheba operations and also during the drive on to Jerusalem. In late December 1917 he returned to the 3^rd Light Horse Training Regiment for a short period but was back with the 10^th LH by the 18^th January 1918.

Ernie saw action during the Es Salt operations and served with the regiment for eight months before he was sent to hospital in August 1918. He spent ten days in hospital and then returned to the Regiment however he hadn’t fully recovered and on the 12^th September Ernie was again evacuated sick. Ernie would spend much of September and October in hospital and rest camps. On the 7^th November 1918 he was transferred to the 3^rd Light Horse Brigade details and he stayed with this group until the 8^th February 1919 when he returned to the 10^th Light Horse Regiment.

Ernie served with the 10^th Light Horse during the troubles of the Egyptian uprising, but on the 10^th July 1919 he boarded the HT Oxfordshire at Kantara and set sail for home, disembarking in Fremantle on the 4^th August 1919, having had two years away from home.

Ernie was officially discharged from the AIF on the 1^st November 1919.

Ernie married Emily Jeffrey in Fremantle in 1926 and they later moved to Kalgoorlie. He died in 1967 aged 78.