Robert Gibbings, 1st Battalion, Royal Munster Fusiliers, 1889-1958
Robert Gibbings was born in Kinsale, near Cork in Ireland. He trained to study medicine at University of Cork, but failed most of his exams, because, he claimed, of spending too much time in the countryside studying plants, birds and animals. His father then felt he had to allow him to study art in Cork and London: Gibbings became a proficient wood engraver.
He signed up as an officer in the Munster Fusiliers immediately after the beginning of the war.
On 1st June 1915, he joined the 1st Battalion for duty at Gallipoli; on the 28th he was attacking along Gully Ravine Spur, on the left of the Allied line across the peninsula, when he was seriously wounded. He recovered, but would do no more fighting and remained on light duties until the end of the war.
Sadly, we only have a few of his works from that time.
