Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

From the book Fallen Saints - Lieutenant John Driffield Gilbert 

John D Gilbert of Pewsey Vale, South Australia was born in August 1893 and attended St Peter's College, Adelaide  1908 -1912. His brothers Joseph, Henry and Thomas also attended the School and all served during the War.

John enlisted in the British Army in 1915 and was posted to 16th Lancers as a Trooper but was later commissioned to second lieutenant in the Sussex Yeomanry. His application to join the Royal Flying Corps was successful and at the completion of pilot training, he was transferred to the now famous 56th Squadron, Royal Flying Corps as a Lieutenant.

In a letter to the School Magazine dated 9 September 1917, John’s brother Lieutenant Thomas Gilbert, RFC, (Old Scholar) wrote that he was ‘surprised and pleased’ to find his name in ‘orders for India.’  …Have finished all flying necessary to entitle me to wear wings. What a difference there is in the amount of work now required and the amount that was required a year ago, or even a few months ago. Graduation and wings originally went together. On 15-20 hours slow flying, now 35-40 hours, and test innumerable are required. Personally I have done just on 40 hours, and flown eight different types of machine; the fighting pilot as a rule does considerably more flying. It is a treat to see a good scout pilot throwing his machine about, he is much more active than any bird. A spinning nosedive, a tail slide, and a loop are feats which I think no bird has ever performed. The first describes itself, the second involves putting the nose of the machine up until it stops going forward, and then slide backwards. I have seen one man flying upside down for several minutes, and not only flying straight in that position, but doing turns. I’ve never tried any of these tricks myself, because I’ve never been on a machine built for the job. The strain on the structure must be great, especially in a learner’s hands, who is bound to make mistakes, and if the machine is not guaranteed to stand the strain of ‘stunting’ the best plan is ‘don’t stunt’…I shall try to get Jack up to have a dinner and theatre in town before I leave. [i]

At about the same time as Thomas had written to the School Magazine, John had also written to the editor.  

Tom is at Yalesbury now, and writes that he is standing by waiting for the next boat to India. He wants me to fly over, but I’m afraid it can’t be done. I have done about 5 hours on Sopworth Props and Bristows, and go on to S.E. 5s. on Monday. The two former have rotary engines in them. The latter a stationary engine, called the ‘Hispano Swizo’, either 200 or 150 h.p. It is a beautiful engine, water cooled, with aluminium cylinders, which are lined with steel. They carry two guns, a Vickers, which fires through the propeller, and a Lewis, which fires above the top plane. The synchronized gear for firing through the propeller is rather a wonderful piece of mechanism. It is worked by oil, at a pressure of 1,500 lbs to the square inch, pulsating in a pipe between the engine and the trigger of the gun. It would be too hard to explain it when you have never seen the gun, so I won’t attempt to.  [ii]

After an aerial battle on 18 October Lieutenant John Gilbert was listed as missing although it seems that at the time of writing this short note his commander had not completely given up hope he might  still have been alive.

Gilbert was in my flight, in 56 and was on patrol with me the morning of October 18 1917. We had some scrapping and the formation was split up. We eventually found ourselves together. I knew he was quite efficient, but we kept near our lines and attacked a Hun two-seater machine doing artillery observation. When I attacked he protected my rear and vice versa. One time I attacked, and after my Hun crashed I turned round and saw that he was not behind me. About two minutes later I saw him being attacked about 500 yards away. I knew I could not reach him in time, so I fired at long range, and frightened the Hun away.

Gilbert continued to glide towards our lines. He landed just behind the Hun lines. Doubtless he was hit in the engine, and thus unable to make our lines. Whether wounded or not I have no way of telling. If wounded he was still able to control his machine, so could not have been wounded badly. He was a very stout chap, and I was more than sorry to lose him in the flight, as well as missing him in the mess. [iii]

Lieutenant John Driffield Gilbert was killed in action on 18 October 1917; he was 24 years of age.

A letter dated 9 April 1919 written by F M Ponsonby, Keeper of the Privy Purse, Privy Purse Office, Buckingham Palace was sent to John Gilbert’s father.

The King and Queen have heard with deep regret that the death of your son, Lieutenant J.D. Gilbert, in the service of his country is now presumed to have taken place in 1917. I am commanded to convey to you the expression of their Majesties’ sympathy with you in your sorrow, and to assure you that during the long months of uncertainty Their Majesties’ thoughts have been constantly with you and those who have been called upon to endure this exceptional burden of anxiety. [iv]

Private 2174 Joseph Gilbert, B Company, 1st/6th Battalion, Manchester Regiment died of wounds on 28 May 1915 at Gallipoli; Henry and Thomas both returned to Australia.

[i] St Peter’s School Magazine - W K Thomas & Co, Adelaide, December 1917, p. 46- 47
[ii] ibid
[iii] ibid., May 1918, p. 65-66
[iv] ibid., September 1919, p. 62