November 19, 1942

Joined the army in Calgary Gibb was 5 feet 11 inches, girth 34 inches, weighing 157 pounds. He had hazel eyes, brown

hair and was in top physical condition.

It was here that he met William Kidner who was soon to become a close friend and room mate

to Gibb.

March 18, 1943

Off to Edmonton. Manning Depot in

Edmonton was a British Commonwealth Air Training Plan institution designed to introduce men to Royal Canadian Air Force training procedures while they waited for room in Initial Training

School.

Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) Station

Edmonton, Alberta. Home of No. 3 Manning Depot. Gibb was called to Edmonton to start training at RCAF No. 3 Manning Depot, which was located on the old Edmonton exhibition grounds. This happened in the early part of 1943. All the old horse barns etc. had been converted to barracks. He was assigned living quarters in a barracks which housed about 50 airmen, and they slept in two-tier bunks. Except for a few technicians, they all started with the rank of AC2 (Air-craftsman Second

Class)1. He was issued a uniform, mess kit, sewing kit called "housewives," brass button polisher, shoe shiner and other gear. He received medical and dental checkups, inoculations, physical training, marching drill and lessons in airman-ship. Each airman made his own bed, polished his buttons, badges and shoes and the entire group received periodic inspections. Everything had to be kept neat and clean, strict discipline was enforced and every man did his stint on guard duty.

After Edmonton, he transferred to Saskatchewan to continue his training.

On January 14th. 2007 I was looking at a picture of Gibbs graduating class and noticed some of his class mates had signed the back of Gibbs graduating picture. By some of the signatures they had written where they were from. I started looking in the phone book and picking out names and calling them randomly. Starting with G.A. Rich, then G.S Stephens, G.M. Paine, D.T. Milan with no luck. Then looking for a W.T. Kidner I 1 See rank description in appendix found a L.B Kidnar from Calgary and tried my luck and bingo. I connected with William Thomas Kidner’s brother. He said that William was now living in Vancouver. After a number of tries I connected with William and he was very surprised and excited

to hear that I was Gibb’s nephew. Apparently he joined the exact same day as Gibb and they were room mates and became the best of friends. He said that on the day they joined

there was a small group of them and they all joined hands and swore allegiance to the flag. William and Gibb were three numbers apart. Williams number was R202724 and  Gibb was R202727. From here they took a little troop train up to Edmonton to the Manning School.

In Regina they began War Emergency Training Plan (WETP) school in the Hercomer Building in North Regina. The men would draw names as to who they would stay with and Gibb and William drew the Dokes family. Here they stayed for 6 to

10 weeks. He said they were the nicest people. They called them Ma and Pa Doke and they use to shine their buttons and press their pants. Mr Doke was a railroad man for CN at the time.

They had a daughter who was about the same age named Ruth and Gibb and her became very fond of each other at one stage. She is now living out in Vancouver. Gibb and William stayed in a little spare room in the back.

Every Sunday they would play penny poker with Pa Doke. They would also get together with the other guys around the neighborhood and play  games like horseshoe pitching. He said it was a nice existence for the short while it lasted.

From here they went to I.T.S. in Regina which was held in the old Regina College. Here they stayed in individual bunks. This was about a 10 week course.

William says Gibb was a most unusual guy, quiet, shy, and had the greatest sense of humor. He called him “Sugar” because he was from Raymond where Gibb grew up with sugar beets and worked in the factory. He would tease him about his Mormon Utah Accent. He  William Thomas Kidner

said that since then he has talked to many people about Gibb and the good man that he was. Telling them that he was the nicest gentlest man he had ever met. He never complained about anything. Everyone liked Gibb, he had an easy smile, and easy chuckle and never said anything bad about anyone. In closing our conversation, he said that one thing I can comment on without any fear of contradiction from anyone who may have run into Gibb 60 odd years ago is that there wasn't a nicer, kinder, more gentle man than Gibb. He was just a different type of guy. There was a lot of swagger and braggadocio with the other guys but never with Gibb.