Ibbs, Ernest George
3497 Private Ernest George Ibbs - 51st Battalion & 4th Division Train AIF
Ernest George Ibbs was born in Biggleswall Bedfordshire England to Lewis and Ada Ibbs, being one of twelve siblings in the family. He was educated locally in Biggleswall and after leaving school took up work as a farm labourer.
Travelled to Australia and Married Edith Macer in Brisbane Queensland 2nd November 1915 and they then moved to WA.
Moved to Western Australia after their marriage and took up residence at 18 Swanbourne Street Fremantle. When he enlisted he was living at the residence of Mr. C Dunn in Salvado Avenue East Fremantle.
On the 18th July 1916, Ernest enlisted into the Australian Imperial Force. He was accepted as fit for service, with the medical examiner recording his physical attributes as;
Height - 5 feet 5 & 1/2 inches tall;
Weight - 156lbs;
Chest Measurement - 36-39 inches;
Complexion - Fresh;
Eyes - Grey;
Hair - Brown.
After his successful enlistment Ernie was sent to Blackboy Hill Camp where he was assigned to the infantry Training depot. He was then assigned to a few different reinforcement groups but it then appeared that Ernie was sent to the school for Non Commissioned Officers as he was appointed as a Corporal and then a Sergeant at the training camp.
All up, Ernie would be spending a year in the Western Australian training camps. On the 16th May 1917 he was then assigned to the 9th Reinforcements to the 44th Battalion AIF. He was a Corporal and was then promoted to Sergeant for the training and voyage only.
This group finally received their embarkation orders and on the 23rd July 1917 embarked from Albany Harbour aboard the transport ship Port Melbourne and set sail for England, arriving at Liverpool England on the 16th September 1917. Ernie and his group were disembarked and then sent to the 11th Training Battalion at Durrington Camp on the Salisbury Plains.
Upon arrival at the training camp Ernie had to revert to the rank of Private and they began their training here. After a few weeks Ernie was transferred to the 10th Training Battalion at Sutton Mandeville Camp and was appointed to Lance Corporal.
Ernie was at Sutton Mandeville till December 1917. He was then posted for duty to the Officers Training School at Kandahar Barracks Tidworth. He was stationed there till February 14th 1918. He was then returned to the 10th training Battalion. On the 4th March 1918 Ernie was then sent to France and after a few days at the Infantry Base Depot Camp at Etaples he was taken on strength of the 51st battalion on the 7th March 1918. The 51st Battalion were then in Belgium, holding the line southeast of Ypres near Hollebeke.
On the 21st March 1918, the Germans had launched a massive assault which had broken through the British lines further south. The Australian Divisions in Belgium where then sent south to the Somme to help stop this German advance. The 51st Battalion were sent to an area between the French towns of Albert and Dernancourt and they came into contact with the Germans in late March 1918.
The Australians, including Ernie's unit, helped stop the Germans at Dernancourt. However, on the 24th April the Germans launched another large attack which captured Villers-Bretonneux. A counterattack was immediately ordered and the 51st Battalion played a large role in this attack. The 51st Battalion succeeded in capturing their objectives; however casualties were very heavy. Ernie was wounded in the Villers-Bretonneux action, receiving a bullet through his right leg.
After treatment at the Field Ambulance and Casualty Clearing Station, Ernie was sent on an ambulance train to the French town of Rouen where he was admitted to the 12th USA General Hospital. Ernie only had a few days of treatment here as on the 29th April 1918 he was shipped to England where he was admitted to the 5th Southern General Hospital at Portsmouth.
Ernie would spend nearly four weeks in Hospital at Portsmouth and was then transferred to the 3rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital at Dartford. He had two more weeks here but on the 6th June 1918 Ernie was well enough to be granted a two-week furlough. When this leave period was over he reported into No.4 Command Depot Camp at Hurdcott on the 20th June 1918.
He had recovered from his wounds, but Ernie would spend a few more weeks at Hurdcott Camp returning to full fitness. On the 15th August 1918 he returned to France and rejoined the 51st Battalion two days later. He rejoined them in time for their action around Bray on the north bank of the Somme and then continued to serve with them for the next month.
The 51st Battalion fought their last action on September 18th 1918 at Le Verguier and Ernie came through safely. The 51st Battalion were then withdrawn from the line for a well-deserved rest period.
When the Armistice was signed on the 11th November 1918 the 51st Battalion were still out of the line. The Germans now withdrew to within their own borders and the Australian units went into what had been German occupied parts of Belgium and France. From December 1918 to May 1919 the Australians remained in these areas.
On the 12th January 1919 Ernie was transferred from the 51st Battalion to the 27th Company Australian Army Service Corps. This unit was part of the 4th Division Train (Transport). Ernie was appointed as a Driver for this unit and remained in France till the 9th May 1919. He then returned to England and was sent to No.4 Group Camp at Hurdcott.
He would remain here while waiting to be assigned a berth on a transport ship home. On the 21st June 1919 Ernie boarded the transport ship Kongin Louise and set sail for Australia, arriving at Fremantle on the 3rd August 1919.
After being disembarked Ernie was sent to No.8 Australian General Hospital in South Terrace Fremantle for a full medical examination. He was then discharged from the AIF on the 2nd September 1919.
He then returned home to Fremantle his wife and daughter. His daughter Esme had been born in Fremantle in 1916 and a son John would be born in 1922 and another daughter Pamela in 1928.
After the war the family moved to Bayswater and then Maylands in the 1930's.
Ernest died in Bullsbrook Middle Swan WA on the 9th November 1963 aged 67. He was cremated at Karrakatta Cemetery.