B73882 Private Gibson, William Henry following training in Ontario embarked from Halifax on 12 May 1940 as a reinforcement for the 1st Battalion, 48th Highlanders, landing at Liverpool on 22 May 1940. He would have been with the battalion in England while they trained, were sent to France in June 1940 two weeks after the Dunkirk evacuation, returned to England for training and coastal defence through 1940, 41, 42 and early 1943.
In England, and now a Sergeant in C Company, Gibson was given 5 days leave from 3 June to 8 June 1943 while the battalion was in Gourock Scotland practicing sea landings and awaiting to embark on 28 June on HM Troopship Derbyshire. They sailed to the Pachino, Sicily landings on 9 July. He was wounded on 19 October 1943 in the Volturara, San Marco action as the battalion was tasked with driving the Germans out of range of Campobasso following the taking of that town. In this action Charlie company conducted a daring and successful assault on a superior German position, in which casualties were significant. Gibson was sent to hospital.
Gibson returned to the battalion and as Company Sergeant Major of Charlie company was wounded by a gun shot, losing his left arm on 17 May 1944 in the advance up the Liri Valley towards the Hitler Line at Pontecorvo. CSM Gibson was sent to Hospital, Admin F.A., then put on the X-8 List on 1 June 44. The X-8 list is “All non-effective held at Base Reinforcement Units whose return to the UK has been authorized.” CSM Gibson recounted to his family that after he was wounded and most of his patrol was dead or wounded he lay in a ditch all night sure he was going to die. He struck a deal with God that if he survived he would serve him. He became an Anglican priest and went on to service the church for another 40 years. He was the Padre for his local Legion.
He was sent to the UK, and then home to Canada. Once home he rejoined the home battalion as an instructor. He said he “spent the remainder of the war in Toronto at the Horse Palace at the CNE and that since he was a CSM he was good at kicking ass for the new guys getting ready to ship out.”
NOK: Mother: Mrs. Isabella Gibson at 103 Carter Avenue, Kirkland Lake, Ontario