Gilbert died on 7 February 2006 aged almost 80.

He enlisted at Liverpool on 15 March 1944 into the General Service Corps. He was posted to 54 Training Regiment in October 1944, having spent six months with a Primary Training Wing.

He was posted to the 8th King’s Royal Irish Hussars on 19 April 1945, at that time-fighting in Hollenstedt. He took part in the campaign up to Hamburg then to Itzehoe and finally to Lingen.

In July 1946 he attended a gunnery course at Lulworth, finishing it on 28 September 1946.

He was promoted to LCpl on 29 September 1946 and to Cpl on 13 December 1946. He remained at Lulworth until 23 June 1947, when he rejoined the Regiment at Warminster (‘A’ Squadron).

He took his release on 3 January 1948, going on to the Reserve, which he left on 30 June 1959.

He was awarded the General Service Medal with Clasp (Aden) for service with the Aden Public Works Department (Road Unit), for whom he worked as an Administrative Officer from 1957 to 1960. He then went on to work in the various Gulf States and Uganda.

He joined the Regimental Association in February 1998

Related topics

  1. A short history of The 8th Hussars
  2. North-West Europe 1944-45 timeline