Pte 51650 Archer Amos Gibbins

• Age: 30
• From: Newark, Notts
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 17th Btn
• K.I.A Thursday 12th October 1916
• Commemorated at: Warlencourt Brit Cem
  Panel Ref: II.B.3

Archer Amos Gibbins was born on 26th December, 1885 in Newark, Nottinghamshire and baptised on 04th May, 1886 at St Peter’s Church of England Church, Liverpool, the family resided in New Brighton. His parents were Amos Gibbins who was born in Bourne Lincolnshire, and Charlotte Ann (nee Keen) who was born in Newark, Nottinghamshire. They were married on the 21^st January 1883 at St Peter's Church, Liverpool, Amos was a 25 year old compositor, father Edwin, whilst Charlotte was aged 26, father John, both gave their address Duke Street. 

The 1891 census shows the family living at 5 Richmond Street, New Brighton which is within sight of the Perch Rock Lighthouse. Amos is 34 and a printers manager, and Charlotte is also 34. The couple have three children – Eveline aged 7 and Archer aged 5 who were both born in Newark and 5 month old Stanley who was born in New Brighton. Also living with them are Amos’s two cousins, Leah aged 15 and 11 year old Edith.

By the time of the 1901 census the family had moved to 21 Rouen Road, Liverpool. Amos is aged 41, a printers compositor, and still recorded as married but Charlotte is not present. All three children are living at home, Eva A. 17 a pupil teacher, Archer A. 15 a commercial clerk, and Stanley G.R. 

The 1911 census shows the family living at 44 Portelet Road, Liverpool. Amos is a widower, and a printer for a Liverpool Salvage Assessor, his wife Charlotte died, aged 53, in 1910. He has three children living at the address. Eveline Annie is an assistant teacher, Archer Amos is a commercial traveller in sanitary fittings and Stanley George Reginald is an insurance clerk  for Reliance Marine, born in New Brighton. The family have a housekeeper called Jane Norman who was 43, and had been born in Cleator Moor, Cumberland.

Archer was educated at the Liverpool Institute from 1898.

He enlisted in Liverpool as Rifleman 4920 joining the 6th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment (Liverpool Rifles). He embarked on board the SS Princess Victoria from Folkestone-Boulogne on 15th July 1916  and arrived at the 24th Infantry Base Depot on 16th July, he then proceeded to th 11th Entrenching Battalion on 02nd August and proceeded to the 17th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 51650 on 05th August and was posted to the 17th Battalion from 05th September 1916.

He was killed in action on the 12th October 1916, aged 30, during the Battle of the Transloy Ridges which was part of the ongoing Somme Offensive.

17th Bn War Diary: Battle of Transloy Ridge –

11-10-16 - Gird Trench/Gird Support – Battalion in front line and support trenches. British bombardment of enemy front line system commenced about midday. Hostile shelling was intermittent throughout the day.

12-10-16 - Our bombardment continued. Enemy reply weak. 2.5 p.m. Zero hour. Attack on German front line system commenced. Enemy wire was found to be uncut and attack was unsuccessful. Hostile machine gun fire was very heavy and caused many casualties. Battalion H.Q. and Support Trench were heavily shelled throughout afternoon and evening. […] During this action all communication had to be carried out by runners and carrier pigeons as all wires were being continually cut by enemy shelling.

Casualties: 5 officers killed, 5 officers wounded, 38 OR killed, about 225 OR wounded/missing etc.

Graham Maddocks, in “Liverpool Pals” p.140, adds:

“As the whistle blew, the 17th Battalion left its trenches to move forward. […] As soon as the attacking waves left their trenches the enemy artillery began to register on them, and at the same time, the defending infantry commenced a murderous rain of fire. […] Although their numbers had been depleted by the British bombardment, they were trained and experienced soldiers, well dug in on high ground, and for the most part, looking out on uncut wire. As such, it was virtually impossible for them to miss the City Battalion men struggling to advance in the mud towards them. The 17th Battalion, on the left, was particularly badly hit, as its portion of No Man’s Land contained a slight rise in the ground, and as the troops emerged onto it they were silhouetted against the sky and became easy targets. Those on the left of the attack, who managed to avoid the hail of bullets and make it to the German wire, then found that it was totally uncut, and thus trapped, they too became easy targets, to be picked off almost at the enemy’s will. It was hardly surprising that, seeing the first waves being wiped out, some of the following waves turned back and made for their start lines. These lines were now packed with other waves of troops, however, and the fleeing men added to the congestion already there, and became easy prey for the German gunners. There is some evidence also, to suggest that at this stage, the British trenches were also being hit by their own heavy artillery shells which were falling short.”

Archer now rests at Warlencourt British Cemetery, France.

Warlencourt Cemetery is entirely a concentration cemetery, begun late in 1919 when graves were brought in from small cemeteries and the battlefields of Warlencourt and Le Sars.  The Graves Registration form shows graves from “Le Sars 6/1, 6/2, Hexham Road, Seven Elms”.

Graves were brought in from the original cemeteries at Hexham Road (Le Sars), and Seven Elms (Flers), as well as over 3,000 British graves due to the fighting which took place around the Butte de Warlencourt from the autumn of 1916 to the spring of 1917, and again in the German advance and retreat of 1918.   The cemetery now contains 3,505 Commonwealth burials and commemorations of the First World War, 1,823 of which are unidentified.

Sadly, Archer’s brother Private 355617 Stanley George Reginald Gibbins who was serving with the 1/10 Liverpool (Scottish), was also killed on the 30th November 1917. His body was not recovered or was subsequently lost as he is commemorated at Panel 4 on the Cambrai Memorial in France. 

The Liverpool Echo of Friday 11th October 1918 carried the following notice:

GIBBINS – missing November 30th 1917, now reported killed, STANLEY G.R.GIBBINS (Liverpool Scottish). Also in memory of his elder brother ARCHER A.GIBBINS (1st Pals), killed on the Somme, October 12, 1916, only beloved sons of A.Gibbins, 44, Portelet Road, Stoneycroft, Liverpool.

Soldiers Effects to father Amos who also received the Pensions of both Stanley and Archer. Amos died aged 64 on the 17^th June 1921, his married daughter Mrs Evelyn Shaw-Smith, 44 Hampstead Rd received the pensions after his death. 

Archer is commemorated in the Hall of Remembrance, Liverpool Town Hall at Panel 47 Left and his brother, Stanley, on Panels 48 and 50.  

Grateful thanks are extended to Kevin Shannon the author of the book The Liverpool Rifles for providing details of Archer's service with the 6th Rifles.  

We currently have no further information on Archer Amos Gibbins, If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.