“It was a rough trip. We had to travel by night for a day or two: there was snow and ice most of the way. Just to give you some idea: We started with mules and donkeys, but it got that rough that they conked out and died.”
Greece was overrun by the German army and allied troops were evacuated to Crete. His troop ship (Costa Rica) was bombed and the men were rescued by a British destroyer (HMS Defender). From his letter
“They kept it up until they landed one that close that it busted the ring out of our ship and she started to go down.”
Crete fell to the German paratroop invasion in late May 1941. Bill was one of the many allied troops taken POW during the unsuccessful defence of Retimo (Rethymno) airport. It is amazing that Bill's letter written during the chaos of war was actually received by the family. Bill's letters can be viewed on the NLA TROVE website.
Nothing was heard of Bill’s fate until early June 1941 when Australian newspapers published official reports showing many troops had been evacuated from Crete, however some 10,000 had been captured. Bill was one of the nearly 3,500 Australians ‘unaccounted for’ until he was confirmed as a POW later that year.
1940 - FINAL LEAVE"Dear Roy, —Well, Sandy, I am still going O.K. I suppose you read all about the scraps we had with the Dagoes. I suppose the papers were full of it. We were the first to go in at Bardia; we were about 200 yards behind the barrage. All the way to the wire I can tell you it gave me a queer feeling up the spine for a while. You can ask Adams what it is like leaning on a barrage. We got through the wire and went a few hundred yards before we struck the Dagoes. There were about 70 of us when we got to them. Anyway, we yelled out to them to put their hands-up. Some did, some started to shoot at us and some started to throw hand bombs. It was lively for a while, but they did not last long when the boys pitched into them. They came running out of holes everywhere with their hands up. I think we got about a thousand or more there; we were busy getting them back then; I and one of my mates took a couple of hundred back in one batch. Well, just as I got back from taking them away the Dago artillery started to shell the position we were in; they kept it up solid on us for two hours; it was hell, they were lobbing them within yards of us.We were flat on our stomachs near a stone wall, and I was never so pleased in my life as when they stopped. We were busy for a couple of days after that rounding them up. We got thousands of them. They were pleased to give up, I think. Well, Sandy, it is a beggar trying to tell you about these things. It was the same at Tobruk. We are having a little spell now; we are camped near a slaughter house. We have plenty of pigs and fowls, and we are living like fighting cocks. I am as full as a poisoned pup just at present.
Source: Mudgee Guardian and North-Western Representative (NSW : 1890 - 1954) Thu 27 Feb 1941 Page 9
1941 - Gulgong Soldier Thanks Patriotic and War FundWriting to the Gulgong Wyaldra Patriotic and War Fund from abroad, Private W. Gibbons says:
"I received the parcel which your fund sent me some time ago but this is the first chance I have had of acknowledging it. I wish to thank the people of Gulgong and Wyaldra for making the gift possible. I enjoyed the cake and pudding, and the smokes were more than welcome. A tin of tobacco here in the Libyan Desert is more valuable than a pound note. Thanking you again for the parcel."
Source: Mudgee Guardian and North-Western Representative (NSW : 1890 - 1954) Thu 27 Mar 1941 Page 8
"We are having a spell for a day or two. It is a good break to get away from the desert for a while. A man gets like a rabbit after he has been out there for two or three weeks; we are not game to pop our heads up until after dark because the dagoes would pelt us with shells.I got through without a scratch, so that is the main thing. I landed a good Kodak camera. I also got a pretty good pair of binoculars, too, and a good stop watch. I did not meet any of the boys from Gulgong at Bardia but I saw Ernie Young and George Rudge at Tobruk. They are in the Seventh Division; they came up here a few days after Tobruk had fallen and they seemed very sorry to have missed the stoush; but they might have been sorrier if they had been in it."
Source: Mudgee Guardian and North-Western Representative (NSW : 1890 - 1954) Thu 6 Mar 1941 Page 11
Just a few lines to let you know that I am O.K. It has been some time since I have had a chance to write to you. I sent a cable from Alexandra the day before I left Egypt, that was about two months ago, I think. I hope you got it O.K. We had a good trip over to Greece: no trouble at all, but it was a different story getting out again.I had a few days' leave at Athens. It is a beautiful city with plenty of girls. The beer was cheap and the Greek people gave us a great spin everywhere—that was the good part of it. I then went up to within 30 miles of the Yugoslavia border. We just get there when a big show started. We got ready to put up a show and waited for him to come.He came all right, cut through the Greek lines on our left and cut us off. We had to take to the mountains for about 100 miles. It was a rough trip. We had to travel by night for a day or two; there was snow and ice most of the way. Just to give you some idea: We started with mules and donkeys, but it got that rough that they conked out and died.We got back with the rest of the boys after a week, and then waited for him to come up and then give him hell. Our blokes can beat the ears off the Huns any time they meet one on even terms. They tore holes through them. We were set to see it out with them, when word came through that the Greeks wanted to give in. They were getting hell in the big towns with bombs. The Huns were killing thousands of civilians everywhere, and their army in Albania was cut off. The poor people had no choice, so we were given 72 hours to get out of the country. Well, most of us got out O.K. The German dive bombers gave us hell all the way; they killed three of my mates one day and set our truck on fire with the same bomb. I lost everything I had except what I stood up in, so you can send me some socks and things as soon as you like, also some tobacco.Well, after a lot of trouble we got on a ship and sailed. We were only out one day a few hours when they started bombing us again. They kept it up until they landed one that close that it busted the ring out of our ship and she started to go down. We had to get off it pretty quick on to a destroyer. We were set then, and we were lucky that we never lost a man.Well, "Gib," you see I have had a pretty busy time. I am on an island at the present time. I don't know for how long: a month or so, I think, so you won't get much news from me for a while yet. I sent you a cable four days ago, and I hope you got it in good time.How is everybody over there? I hope they are all well. I had a good many letters a while back, but have had no chance to answer them. You will have to make excuses for me, and I will answer them as soon as I get back to Egypt.I got a parcel "Sandy" [Roy Gibbons] sent to me; it took six months. I got it in Greece, just when I wanted the "smokes" most. I would like you to thank Harold Adams, and tell him I will write to him later. I wrote two letters from Greece about a month ago to you, but I don't think they got through. Well, "Gib," I will close now and write again as soon as I get a stamp. I will give you more news then. Love to all at home. 'BILL.'
"I have been in Syria for the last ten weeks; it was a bit hectic for a while. I carted some amono up to Damour and brought a few wounded out; that is all the action I have seen except four weeks in Greece. I was carting troops about all the time; matter of fact I think we only went over to evacuate the infantry. Our unit was practically the last transport to leave Athens. The papers said there was a lot of fighting going on up till the end of April. I was dumped on Crete for nearly three weeks. Coming across to Crete on the Costa-Rica, she was bombed and sank; some of us had a swim, but no one hurt or lives lost. I got off Crete the day before the fireworks started properly. Some of my mates were left there and are now prisoners. I met Billy Gibbons in Greece for the first time. I haven't set eyes on Dave Allen yet. I also met Keith Beattie on Crete.Bill Foster is in the same unit as myself. I saw Carl Balthazar in the distance. I haven't met any of the other lads from Gulgong. A lot of the reinforcements and later units to come over are nearly all here in Syria. I think we will be on the move again soon; troops are moving up all the time. It is very dull here, very little work, carting only a few supplies and troops. I go swimming at least six hours a day. These towns are not much good. Damascus is about the best here in Syria. The best towns I have struck since I left home are Cairo and Alexandria. Athens would be very nice in peace time, but too hot and lively with bombs when I was there.By the way, did Bob Meeks get home all right? I went and saw him in the Jerusalem hospital last Christmas; he told me he was going home. I saw Major Hiddleston at the same time; I believe he has gone back also, and Bob McDonald. If you happen to see Bob, give him my address."
Source: Mudgee Guardian and North-Western Representative (NSW : 1890 - 1954) Thu 18 Sep 1941 Page 15
1941 - ABROAD - PREVIOUSLY REPORTED MISSING, NOW PRISONER OF WAR.
...
GIBBONS, PTE. W. T., Gulgong, Inf.
Last week Mr. J. Gibbons. of Black Lead, Gulgong, received advice as follows from the Minister for the Army:
"Pte. Gibbons, prisoner of war. I have to inform you that NX14249, Pte. Wm. Thos. Gibbons, previously reported missing, is now reported prisoner of war: interned Stalag, V 11 a Germany."
Source: Mudgee Guardian and North-Western Representative (NSW : 1890 - 1954) Thu 13 Nov 1941 Page 10
William GIbbons, POW # 92173
Bills war service records also contain his POW records where he was identified as POW #92173 at Stalag VII A Moosberg in southern Bavaria. He was moved to Stalag VIII B, a POW camp near the village of Lamsdorf (now Lanbinowice in southern Poland) in April 1943. According to his de-brief after liberation and return to England most of his time as a POW was spent working 10 hours a day on railways.
The inscription on his grave plaque ‘survivor of the great march’, refers to the events during the last days of the war in early 1945 when POW’s were force marched west during the harsh winter to delay their liberation. Many POW’s perished during this time.
Bill returned to Australia and was officially discharged on 30 July 1945 having spent some 4 years as a POW. He was given a reception in Gulgong on his return home which was reported in the Mudgee Guardian on 12 July 1945.
“Gulgong Town Hall was crowded on Thursday June 28th by young and old eager to welcome home the first repatriated prisoner of war to arrive back in his native town, in the person of Pte. "Bill” Gibbons"
Bill is quoted
“This is the moment I have been waiting for for some four years I thank you all very much for this night. After having been around and seeing some great countries and places I still think old Aussie is the best country in the world. Since arriving back in old Gulgong, I think Gulgong the best town in the world.”
Considering the many times he must have been close to death, Bills comments are typical of the many returned servicemen who never spoke of their war experiences and the impact it had on their life.
Bill returned to mining after the war for several years with his brother Walter and, according to sister Elsie, made a modest living. He later moved to Burwood with brother Wal but never married. He died in February 1993 and is buried in Gulgong cemetery near his parents and many of his extended family.
Gulgong cemetery RC row BH.
Source: Peter Gibbons (nephew).
