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Cenotaph record

William Herbert Ellery Gilbert

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Identity

About

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  • Title
  • Forenames
    William Herbert Ellery AWMM
  • Surname
    Gilbert AWMM
  • Ingoa
  • Also known as
    • Bill Gilbert AWMM
    • Herbert Ellery Gilbert AWMM
  • Service number
    WWII 23245 AWMM
  • Gender
    Male AWMM
  • Iwi / Hapū / Waka / Rohe
  • Religion

Civilian life

About birth

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  • Birth
    20 July 1916 AWMM Wanganui, Manawatu-Wanganui AWMM
  • Date of birth
  • Place of birth
  • Birth notes
  • Address before enlistment
    • WW2 Pre 1941 AWMM 204 Somme Parade, Wanganui, New Zealand AWMM
    • WW2 204 Somme Parade, Wanganui, New Zealand AWMM
  • Post war occupation
  • Next of kin on embarkation
    • WW2 Mr Ellery George Gilbert (father), 204 Somme Parade, Wanganui, New Zealand AWMM
    • WW2 Mrs P.C. Gilbert (wife), C/o Mrs O.R. Farrer, River Road, Hamilton, New Zealand AWMM
  • Relationship status

Service

Wars and conflicts

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Military decorations

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  • Medals and Awards
    • Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (KBE) AWMM
    • Companion of the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) AWMM
      DSO: NZ Gazette, 1 February 1945. Citation: "During the period 5 February to 28 March (1944) Major (temporary Lieutenant Colonel) H.E. Gilbert commanded the 6th New Zealand Field Regiment. His Regiment was deployed in a difficult area astride Route 6 to the east of Mount Trocchio, an area constantly under sometimes heavy and accurate enemy shellfire. During the period prior to active operations on the Cassino front, Lt Col Gilbert displayed sound qualities of leadership and judgement. Time after time individual troops of his regiment were shelled out of position, but due to a thorough knowledge and immediate grasp of the situation, Lt Col Gilbert was able to quickly re-establish them in new positions. During the period of active operations commencing 15 March and ending 26 March 1944, Lt Col Gilbert's Regiment was in direct support of the 6th New Zealand Infantry Brigade, the brigade responsible for the assault on Cassino. due to skillful arrangements beforehand, Lt Col Gilbert was able to render most effective support to the 6th NZ Infantry Brigade. After the initial assault he was tireless in his efforts to locate enemy posts, mortars, anti tank guns, etc, hindering the advance of 6 New Zealand Infantry Brigade and by day and by night kept up a sustained effort in an endeavour to neutralize these weapons. AWMM
    • Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE) (Military) AWMM
    • 1939-1945 Star AWMM
    • Africa Star AWMM
    • Italy Star AWMM
    • Defence Medal AWMM
    • War Medal 1939-1945 with oak leaf AWMM
    • New Zealand War Service Medal AWMM
    • Coronation Medal 1953 AWMM
    • Bronze Star (USA) AWMM

Training and Enlistment

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  • Military training
    Royal Military College of Australia, Duntroon, 1933-1937 AWMM
  • Branch Trade Proficiency
  • Enlistment
  • Occupation before enlistment
  • Age on enlistment

Prisoner of war

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  • Capture details
  • Days interned
  • Liberation date
  • Liberation Repatriation
  • POW liberation details
  • POW serial number

Medical history

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  • Medical notes

Last known rank

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Biographical information

Biographical information

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  • Son of Ellery George Gilbert, a musical instrument importer, and his wife, Nellie Gilbert (née Hall).

    Attended Wanganui Collegiate School, 1928-1933. In his final year he passed three subjects extramurally toward a BA.

    His Australian peers at RMC Duntroon nicknamed him "Bill" and the name stuck.

    Commanding Officer of 6 Field Regiment, NZ Artillery, November 1943.

    General Staff Officer, grade 1, April 1944.

    While in New Zealand on leave, Gilbert married Patricia Caroline Anson Farrer in Hamilton, 19 August 1944. They had two sons and a daughter.

    New Zealand Military Representative, Australia, 1946-47.

    Commander of Southern Military District, 1954.

    Retired from the Army, 1956.

    Head of NZ Security Intelligence Service, 1956-76.

    Upon retirement from the SIS, Gilbert became the executive director of the NZ branch of the World Wildlife Fund.

    Born Herbert Ellery, Gilbert took the name William by deed poll after retiring from the SIS in July 1976. AWMM
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Death

About death

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  • Death
    26 September 1987 AWMM
    Age 71 AWMM
    Silverstream, Wellington Region AWMM
  • Date of death
  • Age at death
  • Place of death
  • Cause of death
  • Death notes
  • Cemetery
    Cremated at Karori Crematorium, Karori Cemetery, Wellington, New Zealand AWMM
  • Cemetery name
  • Grave reference
  • Obituary
    Death notice: New Zealand Herald, 29 September 1987 AWMM
  • Memorial name
  • Memorial reference

Memorials

Memorial

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  • Memorial name

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Sources

Sources

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  • External links
  • References
    • Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force. (1941). Nominal Roll Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force No. 3 (Embarkations from 1st July, 1940 to 31st March, 1941). Wellington, N.Z.: Govt. Printer. AWMM
      WW2 3: WW2 171 AWMM
    • Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force. (1945). Nominal Roll Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force No. 14 (Embarkations from 1st April, 1944 to 31st December, 1944). Wellington, N.Z.: Govt. Printer. AWMM
      WW2 14: WW2 35 AWMM
    • Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force. (1945). Nominal Roll Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force No. 14 (Embarkations from 1st April, 1944 to 31st December, 1944). Wellington, N.Z.: Govt. Printer. AWMM
    • The New Zealand Herald AWMM
      Death notice: New Zealand Herald, 29 September 1987 AWMM

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