Inkpen, Gilbert George
5472 Sergeant Gilbert George Inkpen - 16th Battalion & AIF HQ
Gilbert George Inkpen was born in York WA on the 11th December 1898 to Charles and Annie Inkpen. He had a younger brother Lawrence born in 1900. Sadly his father died in York on the 2nd April 1901. His mother then raised Gilbert and his Brother.
He had his early years in York and was initially educated there but then the family moved to Fremantle taking up residence at 24 Price Street South Fremantle. (later renumbered as 20 Price St)
While at school in Fremantle Gilbert served in the Naval Cadets and then continued his service in the Royal Australian Naval Reserve. After leaving school Gilbert took up employment as a Clerk.
On the 2nd February 1916 Gilbert 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 8 inches tall;
Weight - 140lbs;
Chest Measurement - 32-26 inches;
Complexion - Fair;
Eyes - Grey;
Hair - Black.
Upon his successful enlistment Gilbert was sent to Blackboy Hill Camp where he was sent to the Depot Training facility. He was taken through the basic infantry training for a few weeks and was then transferred to the 17th Reinforcements to the 16th Battalion AIF.
On the 17th April 1916 Gilbert and his reinforcement group embarked from Fremantle Harbour aboard the transport ship HMAT Aeneas. The ship then set sail for Egypt arriving there in May 1916. After being disembarked Gilbert was sent to the 4th Australian Division Base Depot Camp.
Due to his pre war career as a clerk, Gilbert found himself assigned to the permanent staff of the 4th Australian Division Base Depot. On the 7th June 1916 Gilbert left Egypt with his unit and arrived at Marseilles France on the 14th June 1916.
The staff of the 4th Australian Division Base Depot were then entrained north for Etaples where they set up their base. Gilbert was promoted to Corporal and would work there for the rest of 1916.
In January 1917 he was evacuated ill with mumps and was sent to the 18th General Hospital at Camiers. He remained in hospital till the 11th February then returned to his unit. The following day Gilbert was promoted to Sergeant.
On the 18th April 1917 Gilbert was transferred to the Anzac War records Section of AF HQ in France. This unit was also known as the Australian War Records section and was formed in 1917 to collect and preserve wartime records and artefacts. Gilbert served through to the 28th August 1917 when he was given his first period of leave. He rejoined his unit on the 9th September 1917.
Gilbert fell ill on the 18th October 1917 and was sent to the 1st Australian General Hospital at Rouen. He was diagnosed with the onset of venereal disease and after a week he was transferred to the 6th General Hospital. After a few days there Gilbert was again transferred, this time to the 1st Stationary Hospital. He was there till the 13th September 1917 when he rejoined his unit.
He resumed working with the War Records Section and was based at Rouen. The following year in August 1918 Gilbert was slightly wounded when a German air raid hit the town. As the wound was slight Gilbert remained on duty.
On the 24th August 1918 he was given a two week furlough which he spent in France. He rejoined his unit on the 7th September 1918 and continued to serve with them till two days after the Armistice on 11th November 1918. On the 13th November Gilbert was transferred to AIF HQ in London.
Below is a group photo of the Australian Records section of the 2nd Division AIF. Gilbert Inkpen is far left in the back row.
Apart for a few periods of leave, Gilbert remained working up to his departure for home. On the 2nd June 1919 Gilbert boarded the transport ship Beltana at Devonport Harbour and commenced his journey home, disembarking in Adelaide on the 15th July 1919.
Gilbert then made his way back to Fremantle on another ship and was then discharged from the AIF on the 8th September 1919.
During his absence from Fremantle, his mother had moved to Seaview Street Beaconsfield.
After the Great War Gilbert resumed work for the vacuum oil company, initially in Fremantle before being sent to the country, and by 1925 was in Busselton.
He then moved to work at Goomalling before heading to Kalgoorlie, still as a Clerk for the Vacuum Oil Company.
During World War Two, Gilbert served again, being assigned to service number W237409. He enlisted on the 3rd January 1940 and was appointed a Lieutenant in Western Command HQ. Gilbert would serve through to 1944.
Gilbert died in Kalgoorlie in 1960 aged 62. He was buried at West Lamington Cemetery.