Gibbens, Gerald H.: my Air Force recollections (November 8, 1988)

Interviewer: Aylward, Rick

ABSTRACT: Pilot Officer Gerald H. Gibbens Royal Canadian Air Force Gibbens_G_0073_01.mp3 Born on May 28, 1916 in Vancouver. Friends joining the air force provided him with the motivation to also join in June 1942. Manning depot in Edmonton, then general duties before being accepted for air crew (navigator). Graduated from flying training in March 1943. Overseas in Aug. of that year; navigation school in Scotland, then a month in an operational training unit at Doncaster where he "crewed -up" with a R.A.F. crew. (10:00) At No. 1567 Conversion Unit the crew converted to four-engined Short Stirling (bomber). In 1944 joined No. 214 Squadron, R.A.F. (Flying Fortresses) which were equipped to monitor German ground-to-air radio traffic. First operational flight to the Ruhr in June 1944. As navigator he rarely saw any of the outside world or was aware of any enemy action. Comments on debriefing, navigation, etc. In July 1944 his aircraft was hit by flak over Kiel, Germany and forced to return to England before reaching the target. On the night of Aug. 25/26 they were shot down by a German Junkers Ju 88 night fighter. Aircraft on fire, they bailed out. Six of the crew of ten survived, four did not. Was captured quickly, and, after a night in a local jail, taken to a German air station where his injuries were attended to, and then to Frankfurt for interrogation. Was sent to Stalag Luft 7 which seemed to be a good camp. Red Cross parcels every two weeks at that late date in the war which tended to make the food supply a little short. (25:00) Gibbens_G_0073_02.mp3 Details of camp life. In Jan. 1945 began a forced march, with little food and water, to avoid the approaching Russian army. Was liberated by the Russians toward the end of April but forced to remain in their camp until V-E Day when they managed to make contact with the American army nearby. Returned to Canada, was discharged in Sept. 1945. No problem rejoining civil life, but still thinks back to the days when hunger was a problem. Even now no longer takes food for granted. (42:00)

Interviewee: Gibbens, Gerald H., b. 1916

An interview/narrative of Gerald H. Gibbens's experiences during World War II. Pilot Officer Gibbens served with the Royal Canadian Air Force. Interview took place on November 8, 1988.

Rank: Pilot Officer.

In Collection:

• Canadian Military Oral Histories

Contributor

• Aylward, Rick
• Gibbens, Gerald H., b. 1916

Subject

• World War (1939-1945)
• Great Britain. Royal Air Force
• Canada. Royal Canadian Air Force
• Military history

Language

• eng

Keyword

• Short airplanes
• Stalag III A
• Bombers
• World War, 1939-1945--Prisoners and prisons, German.
• Great Britain--Royal Air Force--Squadron, 214
• Great Britain--Royal Air Force
• B-17 bomber
• Navigation (Aeronautics)
• Stalag Luft VII-A
• Gibbens, Gerald H., b. 1916.--Interviews
• Stalag Luft III
• World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, Canadian
• Boeing bombers
• Prisoner-of-war camps--Germany
• Stirling (Bomber)
• Stalag Luft VII
• Russian S.F.S.R.--Raboche-Krestiannskaia Krasnaia Armiia
• Canada--RCAF Station (Edmonton, Alta.)--Initial Training School, 4
• Night fighter planes
• Flight navigators, Military
• Canada--RCAF Station (Edmonton, Alta.)--Manning Depot, 3
• Canada--Royal Canadian Air Force
• Junkers Ju-88 (Bomber)

Date created

• November 8, 1988

Relation

• Part of the Reginald H. Roy collection of interviews.

Resource type

• Sound

Rights statement

• In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted

Extent

• 2 sound recordings (MP3)

Geographic coverage

• Canada
• Great Britain
• Germany

Coordinates

• 60.10867, -113.64258
• 54.75844, -2.69531
• 51.5, 10.5

Additional physical characteristics

• One original sound tape reel (ca. 45 min.) : 1 7/8 ips, 2 track, mono. ; 1 sound cassette copy : standard, mono. in Special Collections.

Physical repository

• University of Victoria (B.C.). Library

Collection

• Canadian Military Oral History Collection

Provider

• University of Victoria (B.C.). Library

Genre

• reminiscences
• sound recordings
• interviews
• oral histories (literary genre)

Archival item identifier

• GGH_073

Fonds title

• Reginald Herbert Roy fonds

Fonds identifier

• SC104

Is referenced by

• Special Collections Finding Aid: https://uvic2.coppul.archivematica.org/reginald-herbert-roy-fonds

Date digitized

• June 6, 2007

Technical note

• Digital sound recording in .wav format at 16 bits and 22 kHz. In .mp3 format at 64 kbps and 22 kHz. Digitized by AN, technical and cataloguing metadata provided by JF and JP. Transferred from audio reel to audio cassette between 1987-1997. Interview migrated to digital format for UVic Special Collections in 2007. Migration metadata by KD and MT.

Rights

• This interview has been posted with the understanding that it may be used for research purposes only. Should the interviewee or their heirs have any objections to this interview being accessible on the Internet, it will be removed promptly. Contact UVic Special Collections for permission if using for other than research purposes: speccoll@uvic.ca

DOI

•  https://doi.org/10.58066/bn7w-v117

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