Alfred Gibbs was born on 14th November 1893 in Tower Hamlets, Middlesex. He was one of four children to Alfred and Sarah Gibbs.

There is tantalisingly little information available about Alfred Jr’s early life. Sarah appears to have died not long after her youngest child’s birth in 1897, and the 1901 census found the family living in Tenbury Place, Limehouse. Alfred Sr was recorded as being a rope maker, and they had a boarder, Mary Cambridge, to bring in a little extra money.

Alfred Sr seems to have passed away by the end of the decade, and his son found work as a general labourer. A more reliable career was needed, however, and on 11th March 1912, Alfred Jr enlisted in the Royal Navy.

Stoker 2nd Class Gibbs was sent to HMS Pembroke, the Royal Naval Dockyard in Chatham, Kent, for his training. His papers show that he was 5ft 2.5ins (1.59m) tall, with brown hair, brown eyes and a fresh complexion.

The start of Alfred’s naval career was not an auspicious one. He enlisted for a period of five years, but just a couple of months after joining up, he ran off, and was not caught and brought to justice until the end of September.

Once back in the fold. Stoker Gibbs seemed to have settled into something of a routine. While is appears he would not be one to rise through the ranks – his annual reviews noted a good or very good character and an ability that varied between moderate and satisfactory – for the next couple of years he focused on the job.

Alfred’s first assignment was on board the gunboat HMS Speedy, and during his short time on board, he was promoted to Stoker 1st Class. In March 1913 he returned to Chatham, HMS Pembroke becoming his home in between attachments.

Over the next four years, Stoker Gibbs would serve on three further vessels, but his time in the navy would not be without incident. In December 1914, he was thrown in the brig for seven day for an unrecorded misdemeanour. He found himself back in the cells for a similar time in March 1916.

By the summer of 1917, Alfred was back at HMS Pembroke. The dockyard was a particularly busy place at that point in the war and temporary accommodation had been set up. Stoker Gobbs found himself billeted at The Drill Hall, away from the main barracks.

On the night of 3rd September 1917, Chatham suddenly found itself in the firing line, as the German Air Force launched a bombing raid. Two bombs landed squarely on the Drill Hall, and dozens of men were killed. Alfred was badly wounded, and taken to the local Naval Hospital. His injuries would prove insurmountable, however, and he died the next day. He was just 23 years old.

The body of Alfred Gibbs was taken back to Middlesex for burial. He was laid to rest in the City of London and Tower Hamlets Cemetery.

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[Note: the photo above is of the memorial to the Chatham Air Raid victims, close to the mass grave for those whose bodies were not identified, in Woodlands Cemetery, Gillingham, Kent.]