James Gibbons born abt 1889 St Pancreas, London (census 1891) address 67 Torrington Square, Bloomsbury, London. He entered the war aged abt 25 enlisting in 28th London Regiment, Artists Rifles, 1st December 1915. He served in France/Flanders, disembarked at Rouen 22nd April 1916, suffered influenza and admitted to hospital in Etaples August – Sept 1916 for one month, He was advanced to acting Sergeant and was possibly machine gun Sergeant instructor ” In the field” from 3/9/16 (25/9/16, casualty / active service form). Discharged end of war 11/11/18, supplied with some copy paperwork, service details, etc, for further research. The London regiment became a territorial unit and was broken up just before WW2 in 1937, most members of the Artists Rifles transferred to the Rifle Brigade, Royal Engineers or Royal Artillery. During the war the Artists rifles operated as an officer training corps, disbanded in 1945 but reformed in 1947 as 21st Special Air Service (SAS – Artists Reserve unit). Together with 23 SAS (Reserve) they form part of the UK Special Forces (SASR) (Reserve). WW1 WW2 medal group Sgt J Gibbons Artists Rifles & Badge & Special Constabulary. Sgt Gibbons Artists rifles WW1 WW2 & Special Constabulary LS & GC group Acting Sergeant J. Gibbons, 28th London Regiment (Artists Rifles) British War and Victory Medals, official impressed, 5620 A. ; 1939-45 Star; Burma Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45; Special Constabulary Long Service, G. Official impressed James Gibbons. , mounted as worn, plus artists rifles badge, IMO very fine condition, see pictures for condition James Gibbons born abt 1889 St Pancreas, London (census 1891) address 67 Torrington Square, Bloomsbury, London. Discharged end of war 11/11/18, supplied with some copy paperwork, service details, etc for further research. ARTISTS RIFLES The regiment was established in 1859, part of the widespread volunteer movement which developed in the face of potential French invasion after Felice Orsini’s attack on Napoleon III was linked to Britain. The group was organised in London by Edward Sterling, an art student, and comprised various professional painters, musicians, actors, architects and others involved in creative endeavours; a profile it strove to maintain for some years. It was established on 28 February 1860 as the 38th Middlesex (Artists’) Rifle Volunteer Corps, with headquarters at Burlington House. Its first commanders were the painters Henry Wyndham Phillips and Frederic Leighton. The unit’s badge, designed by J. Wyon, shows the heads of the Roman gods Mars and Minerva in profile. Until 1914 the regimental full dress uniform was light grey with white facings, silver buttons and braid. This distinctive uniform dated from the regiment’s foundation as a volunteer unit. After World War I standard khaki was the normal dress. The Artists Rifles was a popular unit for volunteers. It had been increased to twelve companies in 1900 and was formed into three sub-battalions in 1914, and recruitment was eventually restricted by recommendation from existing members of the battalion. It particularly attracted recruits from public schools and universities; on this basis, following the outbreak of the First World War, a number of enlisted members of The Artists Rifles were selected to be officers in other units of the 7th Division. This exercise was so successful that, early in 1915, selected Artists officers and NCOs were transferred to run a separate Officers Training Corps, in which poet Wilfred Owen trained before posting to the Manchester Regiment, the remainder being retained as a fighting unit. Over fifteen thousand men passed through the battalion during the war, more than ten thousand of them becoming officers. The battalion eventually saw battle in France in 1917 and 1918. Casualties suffered by both members of this battalion and amongst officers who had trained with The Artists Rifles before being posted to other regiments were 2,003 killed, 3,250 wounded, 533 missing and 286 prisoners of war. Ex-Members of the Regiment won eight Victoria Crosses (though none did so while serving with the Regiment), fifty-six DSOs and over a thousand other awards for gallantry. Showcase your items with Auctiva’s. Track Page Views With. Auctiva’s FREE Counter. The item “WW1 WW2 medal group Sgt J Gibbons Artists Rifles & Badge & Special Constabulary” is in sale since Wednesday, August 11, 2021. This item is in the category “Collectables\Militaria\World War I (1914-1918)\Medals/ Ribbons”. The seller is “theonlineauctionsale” and is located in Leamington Spa. This item can be shipped worldwide.
- Country/Region of Manufacture: United Kingdom
- Country/ Organization: Great Britain
- Issued/ Not-Issued: Issued
- Theme: Militaria
- Type: Medals & Ribbons
- Conflict: World War I (1914-1918)
- Service: Army
- Era: 1914-1945