Name
Herbert Foster Gilbey
2 January 1886
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
02/05/1917
31
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Leading Stoker
K/8983
Royal Navy
H.M.S. "Derwent
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Navy Star, British War Medal and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
CHATHAM NAVAL MEMORIAL
23
United Kingdom
Headstone Inscription
N/A
UK & Other Memorials
Sawbridgeworth Town Memorial, Great St Mary’s Church Memorial, Sawbridgeworth, Bishop's Stortford Town Memorial, Holy Trinity Church Memorial, Bishop's Stortford
Pre War
Herbert Foster Gilbey was born 2 January 1886 in Bishop's Stortford to Alfred and Emma Gilbey.
On the 1891 Census, the family were living at Back Row, Bishop's Stortford where his father was working as a Brewery Tun Man. (His parents later lived at 34 Oak Street, Bishop's Stortford). On the 1911 Census, having enlisted in 1905 into the Royal Navy, he was aboard HMS Torpedo Boat no. 36 in Plymouth Sound, Devon.
He married Mary Jane Chappell on 28 May 1916 in Birchanger, Essex. She later remarried and lived at 78 (poss 82 needs checking) Cambridge Road, Sawbridgeworth, Herts.
Wartime Service
He enlisted into the Royal Navy on 8 December 1905 for 12 years. He served on several ships – St George, Blenham, Hecla, Dido, Victory II as stoker or acting leading stoker. HMS Derwent which was a destroyer, and was involved in protecting cross-channel convoys, to and from France. The Derwent reportedly hit a mine outside Le Havre on the night of 1st/2nd May 1917. An officer, a gunner and 57 ratings were lost. His body was not recovered for burial.
The local paper reported: “Of whom news has been received from the Admiralty that he is amongst the missing of the crew of a destroyer which was reported to have sunk at sea on May 2nd. He was 34 years of age, and had almost completed twelve years of service in the Navy. His parents, Mr and Mrs A Gilbey, live in Oak Street, Bishops Stortford, and his wife, whom he married at Birchanger last June, at Cambridge Road, Sawbridgeworth.”
Additional Information
His wife subsequently remarried and her surname was Sampford. The CWGC records her address as 82 Cambridge Rd., Sawbridgeworth, Herts.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Jonty Wild, David Harvey - Leventhorpe School, Douglas Coe
