Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/243A/1 - 1916 - 1934 - Part 6

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During frequent visits to the wounded in
Hospital I have spoken to members of
his own and other battalions associated
in the fighting at Fromelles, and,
every man seems to be agreed upon
one point, at least, which summed
up in their own words is just this
: - Captain Gibbins ought to have got
the V.C. He won it - many times that
night " (July 19^th 1916)
Of course, I cannot form any
opinion on the matter, so, I submit
this as the soldiers' opinion solely.
My brother seems to me far too
big for rewards of any sort, and, I
know he scorned commendation for
simple duty, faithfully done.
In his soldiering he only desired
to do his duty to his loved land, he
never, for one moment, considered
self interest. The spirit lavishly
displayed in his last fight
showed this very convincingly. Read
Capt Ellis's account of this page 107
in the Story of the 5^th Division
I would not trouble you
with all this, if I had not promised
- after much persuasion - to
submit the letters, and, I know my
[[?]]

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47
is open to misconstruction.
I do not wish you to think that
I seek any special favour for my
brother - For such would be an
insult to a gallant Gentleman's
memory. I do not. I only
ask a perusal of the "letters" in
order that a promise to the soldier's
may be kept, and, contentment 

to them
result from the knowledge of it.
In my opinion their esteem and
affection for my brother, are the
only fitting tribute to him and the
only one he would have appreciated
for, he was extremely proud of the
Australian Soldier.
In your "Records" I hope that
full justice will be done to every
member of the A.I.F, if such can
possibly be accomplished, and,
above all, let justice be done the
glorious "Dead", for, they cannot
speak on their own behalf as can
the more fortunate "living".
My big-souled, modest brother
would very strongly condemn my
action in troubling you, for, he could
never be convinced of any merit
in his own life although he never

4.
48
failed to find 

merit in other
people's. He was 

magnanimous
in the highest degree.
Of course I am 

inexpressibly
proud of all he 

has done and the
esteem he has won 

from brave
comrades. If you 

have sisters
of your own you will 

understand
and sympathise, 

even, if I
appear lacking in modesty
concerning this "sisterly" pride.
My brother was my life-long
comrade and dearest friend
so his death, to me, was "

the very
end of all things". My only
comfort is that future 

generations
may benefit a 

little by my
sacrifice, and, 

young Australians
find inspiration in his most
noble and unselfish life and
death.
With apologies
I am
Yours Faithfully,
Violet Gibbins
P.S. Will you 

kindly return letters
when you 

are finished with them?

 

Docts of Record
Osborne College
Fromelles.
Epping
21.12.21
[*You will perhaps recall 

the letters
from soldiers of all ranks that
I submitted to you There are
200 of them altogether. They
all spoke of my brother as a V.C.
hero. I cannot help wishing
to see him occupying
his proper place in
Aust History.*]

Dear Sir.
I have read the first
Book of Records compiled by
You, and, I have enjoyed every
word of it. But, alas!
was there not room for the
list of brave men who were
mentioned in despatches
for heroism at the landing
operations?
My brother was so "mentioned"
and promoted to Officer
rank as the result of his
gallantry. He was wounded
on the 25^th in the leg. 
He continued
[*49*]

3
and was in charge of
B Coy 3^rd Battalion, one
of the last, if not the last,
to leave the peninsula,
at the evacuation.
I possess his very 

interesting 

papers recording 

various points
reached, and time 

of same en route to boats.
Surely a very brief mention
of the men "mentioned" in
despatches would have
been interesting and
not too lengthy.
I sincerely trust that
you have done justice to my
brother's fine work at
Fromelles. He and his noble

fighting without food or drink
[as all such had been shot
away during his hair breadth
escapes] for three days
and nights. He received
a second wound in the
chest on the 28^th April.
He was sent to 

England, but,
was the first 

wounded Soldier
to report at 

Commonwealth
House. Before he was
properly healed he was
working in the 

Commonwealth
Offices and his Colonel's
wife told me he looked very
emaciated and ill when
she saw him there.
On the first opportunity he
returned to the peninsula

band of fifty brave 

Australians
stood between the 

overwhelming
enemy and 

the retreating
remnant of the Brigade
[* They saved it. *]
They stood and fought until

each dropped. My brother
was the last to go, at the very
end of the fight. Surely such
valour ought to rank with
that of the Light Brigade at
Balaclava. There are not
many more conspicuous
examples of Australian pluck
and self-sacrifice & devotion to
duty for you to chronicle
Do please make a strong point
of it, in the name of justice -
and please spell my brother's
name Gibbins. It is generally
printed wrongly.
Hoping you will forgive 

me for troubling
you & with best wishes for 

you & Mrs Bean
Yours Sincerely
Violet Gibbins.
[*P.T.O.*]

 [*Historical Notes (1*]
50.
COPY.
FRANCE,
27/7/1916.
Dear Miss Gibbins,
I feel I would like to 

write to 

you about your
brother, Captain Gibbins..

Ever since the 55th 

Battalion has
been formed I have been 

a Lieutenant 

in his Company, and not
only was he my superior 

Officer, but 

my best friend. On the
19th and 20th an attack 

was made 

against the enemy 

trenches, our
position was in the 

supports so we were

 not in the main storming
party, but when we were 

called for, Captain 

Gibbins led us into
action. I have never 

known a braver or a cooler 

man in action
than he, the welfare of his men was 

his chief thought, and they
realised it and would 

follow him anywhere.
All night long he moved 

up and down his 

line exposed
to the enemy fire, helping 

and spurring his 

men on. Twice he
led xxxxxx counter 

bombing attacks against 

enemy xxxxxxxxx
bombers, and each was 

successful. I accompanied him on these.
On the second occasion he received 

a slight wound in the forehead.
When returning to our trenches 

he remained till the
last, and while directing 

his men through 

the communication
trench, was shot through the head.
I did not see his body, but those who did, say that
he died with a smile upon his lips. He is buried near our
trenches, with a wooden cross over his grave.
I remain,
Yours very sincerely,
(Signed) P. W. Chapman,
2nd Lieutenant,
55th Battalion,
B. Coy.
Captain Chapman, M.C., was killed in 

^action in March 1917.

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COPY.
FROM
Lieut.-Colonel W. E. CASS. C.M.G.,
O.C. 54th Battalion and Senior Officer
next to Brigadier, 14th Infantry Brigade, A. I. F.
EXTRACTS from letter kindly sent to Miss 

Gibbins relative to
the death of her brother at FLEURBAIX-

 FROMELLES,
July 19/20, 1916.
Your xxxxxxx ^brother's company 

was detailed for reinforcing the 54th
Battalion as we had suffered severely 

in a counter attack -------.
On receiving the message to withdraw, 

from Headquarters,
I instructed Lieut.-Colonel McConaghy 

to form a Company of the
"55th" Battalion ------------ then 

in the old German front
line ------------- as a rear-guard, 

and to hold that line
until the troops in advance had 

been withdrawn. On enquiring
into the matter later I was told by 

Lieut.-Colonel McConaghy
that he had detailed Captain Gibbins 

to take charge of the
rearguard.
We were under heavy fire all the 

time from machine
guns, artillery and rifles -------------
I did not know your brother 

personally, but from
what I have heard of him 

he was a very fine officer.

 52
COPY.
N Ward, Randwick Military Hospital,
SYDNEY, 3/4/1918.
I would like to tell you all I know concerning your
brother's death. We, "The Battalion", went over the top on the
night on the afternoon of the 19th July, 1916. I remained on the
right of the Battalion all night, and in the early morning part
of the morning of the 20th, I got word to take my machine gun
round to the left where the Germans were trying hard to break
through.
It was then that I first came in contact with Captain
Gibbins, about 5 a.m. He was quite cheery when he showed me
my position, and was moving about freely amongst his men, although,
at the time he was wearing a bandage around his head, on account of a
wound he had received some time in the night.
One could often hear the men under his command saying "If
ever a man deserved the Victoria Cross for devotion to duty and
coolness under fire the Captain does.
We were being hard pressed all the time until word came
through. to retire as far as our old front line.
At that time Captain Gibbins was but a few yards from me
and most of the Infantry men had retired. I was suddenly brought
back to my senses by hearing Captain Gibbins xxx call out, "Come on,
all you gunners!" I immediately picked up my spare parts and
followed him. On reaching our front line I got caught in our
barbed wire, and on looking up once, I saw him just reach
the top of our trenches, where he turned his head around sharply,
and was immediately struck in the head by a bullet and killed
instantaneously.
Trusting you will accept the little information I can
give concerning the death of a "Soldier and a Man."
I am,
Yours sincerely,
Sergeant BERT WHITE.