Rodney Stuart Gibson

The photographs are shared by the Trust with kind permission from Janet Daltrey, daughter of Rodney Gibson

Rodney Stuart Gibson (Captain, 7th Battalion, Royal Norfolk Regiment) was born in Bedfordshire on 20th October 1917, the son of Clifford and Mabel Gibson.

He attended King Edward VII Grammar School in Kings Lynn where he met his wife-to-be, Helen Wagstaff,  as she was sneaked into the boy's science lessons by her father, the headmaster, Charles John Leonard Wagstaff** as girls were rarely taught science subjects in those days. She went on to qualify as a doctor (GP).

Rodney went to university and graduated as an Agricultural Scientist. He then worked for Masters Seeds, Docking, Norfolk, specialising in improving cereal crops. His father was, I believe, Chairman.

He married Helen Wagstaff on 25th May 1940.

They had two children, Janet & Jeremy, and they lived in Kings Lynn, Norfolk.

Rodney with his baby daughter, Janet.

 

He was killed on 7th August 1944 and is buried at Bayeux.

Helen could not face visiting Rodney's grave and she never remarried. In 1946 Lt Col Freeland, CO of the 7th Battalion Royal Norfolk Regiment, who was serving in Germany with the British Army of the Rhine (BAOR), sent Helen a copy of a book he had written about the history of the Battalion, from 1940 until it was disbanded in August 1944.

In the accompanying letter he wrote:

"I am sending you a copy of a little book I have written on 7th Bn, The Royal Norfolk Regt, which I have managed to get printed out here.

I know how interested you will be in the story for Rodney was such an important member of the Bn. and gave so much towards its well-being. His death on the ORNE was tragic for I was never able to replace him, for he was an outstanding administrative officer."

Helen died in December 1992 and her ashes were interred in Rodney's grave with her family present.

**Charles John Leonard Wagstaff wrote the first school textbook "Properties of Matter" and several other science books and he has a photographic portrait in the National Portrait Gallery