‘Matt’ McGibbon died in Paderborn on 23 October 1999.
His Army career started in 1954 when he joined the RAOC and was posted to the Boys Training School, Gosport. After falling foul of regulations he left the Army for a short period. He rejoined in 1956 and was posted to the 4th Hussars in Germany.
His previous boy service and experience quickly became obvious and he was promoted to Corporal in 1957. He attended and passed a gunnery instructor’s course at the RAC Gunnery School, Lulworth.
Matt transferred to the QRIH on amalgamation in 1958 and subsequently attended and passed a D and M instructor’s course at Bovington.
He was a good soldier and an excellent gunner and tank commander. However, he had a short fuse and suffered a setback for which he temporarily lost rank. It did not take him long to climb the ladder again and he was promoted to Corporal in 1960.
His service with the regiment took him to Aden, BAOR and Brunei where he saw active service.
He was promoted to Staff Sergeant in 1972 and finally called it a day in 1978.
Matt was a fluent German speaker and chose to settle down in the Paderborn/Sennelager area where he took up employment in the well-known ‘Tin City’ on the Sennelager ranges where he remained until taken ill.
Our deepest sympathies go to his wife Thea and to his daughters Karen, Kristan and Katrina.
