A South Africa Campaign & First Canadian Mounted Rifles Medal Grouping

A Boer War & First Canadian Mounted Rifles Medal Group - Queen's South Africa Medal, 4 Clasps - CAPE COLONY, ORANGE FREE STATE, SOUTH AFRICA 1901, SOUTH AFRICA 1902 (34712 Pte C. GIBBONS. 67th Coy IMP: YEO:); 1914-15 Star (106245 Pte C. GIBBONS. 1/CAN:MTD:RIF:); British War Medal (106245 PTE. C. GIBBONS. 1-C.M.R.); and Victory Medal (106245 PTE. C. GIBBONS. 1-C.M.R.). Naming is officially impressed. Un-mounted, contact marks, edge nicks, residue in the recessed areas from cleaning, very fine. (C:4)    Footnote: Charles Gibbons was born on November 24, 1876 in Wallingford, Berkshire, England. He was a resident of England when he enlisted with the 18th Battalion (Sharpshoters) of the Imperial Yeomanry for service in South Africa. The unit was raised on December 30, 1899 and embarked Southampton, England on April 6, 1900, arriving in Beira (modern day Mozambique) in late April and joined the Rhodesian Field Force. The 67th (Sharpshooters) Company was raised in 1900, along with the 70th, 71st and 75th (Sharpshooter) Companies, which comprised the 18th Battalion (Sharpshooters). The first contingent returned to the Great Britain in June 1901 and was replaced by a second draft of March-August 1901, however, Gibbons remained in the South African theatre to the conclusion of the war. The 18th Battalion (Sharpshooters) was perpetuated in August 1901 by the 3rd County of London (Sharpshooters) Imperial Yeomany. For his South Africa War (AKA Boer War) service, Gibbons was awarded the Queen's South Africa Medal with four clasps. He returned to Great Britain after the war and later immigrated to Canada, settling in Brandon, Manitoba. Gibbons was designated "Territorials" when he signed his Attestation Paper as a Private (106245) with the 1st Regiment, Canadian Mounted Rifles, on February 6, 1915, in Brandon, Manitoba, at the age of 38, naming his next-of-kin as his wife, Mrs. Freda Gibbons of Brandon, stating that he had previous military service with the 4th Battalion, Oxfordshire Light Infantry and six years with the Imperial Yeomanry, that he was Married and that his trade was that of Bookkeepper. He is listed on the Roll of the 1st Regiment, Canadian Mounted Rifles (later the 1st Battalion, Canadian Mounted Rifles). The 1st Regiment, Canadian Mounted Rifles was formed on November 7, 1914 under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel H. I. Stevenson, the authorization published in General Order 36 of March 15, 1915. The unit was mobilized at Brandon (consisting of “A” Squadron at Yorkton, Saskatchewan, “B” Squadron at Brandon, Manitoba and “C” Squadron at Saskatoon, Saskatchewan) and recruited from nine mounted regiments in Military District No. 10. They embarked Montreal, Quebec on June 12, 1915 aboard the S.S. Megantic, with a strength of 28 officers and 602 other ranks, arriving in England on June 21, 1915. Three months later, they entered the French theatre on September 22nd as the part of the 1st Brigade, Canadian Mounted Rifles, with the designation changing from Regiment to Battalion on formation of the 8th Canadian Infantry Brigade on January 1, 1916, the 1st Battalion absorbing half of the personnel of the 3rd Regiment, CMR, the other half going to the 2nd Battalion, CMR. The conditions on the Western Front made its mounts more of a hindrance than a benefit, forcing both Canadian Mounted Rifle Brigades (six Regiments) to be dismounted and converted to infantry and re-organized as the 8th Infantry Brigade (four Battalions). The Battalion fought in most of the 3rd Canadian Division's engagements until the end of the war. The 1st Battalion, Canadian Mounted Rifles, along with the 4th Battalion, Canadian Mounted Rifles, was manning the 3rd Division's front on June 2, 1916, when the Germans launched their assault at the outset of the Battle of Mount Sorrel. Its positions were overrun, with 557 of its 692 members (80%) being killed, wounded or captured. The Battalion was rebuilt over the summer, and it was one of the first Canadian Corps units to attack when the Corps shifted to the Somme. The 1st Battalion, Canadian Mounted Rifles was in the first wave attacking Mouquet Farm on September 15, 1916 and, although the attack gained ground, the Canadians did not take the strong point, yet the assault was considered a successful diversion from the main attack on Courcelette. The Battalion served in France until the armistice, returning to Canada on March 20, 1919, was demobilized at Brandon on March 24th and disbanded by General Order 207 on November 15, 1920. For his First World War service, Gibbons was awarded the 1914-15 Star, the British War Medal and the Victory Medal. (C:4)