Bobby Gibbes

Two of Gibbes' cousins—both born in 1915 and, like Bobby, only sons—were also pilots in the RAAF.

Robert Henry Maxwell Gibbes, (6 May 1916 – 11 April 2007) was an Australian fighter ace of World War II, and the longest-serving wartime commanding officer of No. 3 Squadron RAAF.

He was officially credited with 10¼ aerial victories, although his score is often reported as 12, including two shared; Gibbes was also credited with five aircraft probably destroyed, and a further 16 damaged.

The only son of Henry and Cora Gibbes, Robert Henry Maxwell (Bobby) Gibbes was born on 6 May 1916 in Young, New South Wales.

His family had long been active in the government and military.

His great-grandfather, Colonel John George Nathaniel Gibbes, built his residence "Wotonga" at Kirribilli; the property was later refurbished to become Sydney's Admiralty House.

Gibbes' grandfather, Augustus Onslow Manby Gibbes, owned Yarralumla station, subsequently the official residence of Australia's Governor-General.

His father was a grazier and his uncle Fred a Sopwith Camel pilot in World War I who was killed in action.

Gibbes attended All Saints College in Bathurst, and schools in Manly, before earning a living as a jackaroo.

Rodney Gibbes joined the Air Force in July 1936.

Born in rural New South Wales, Gibbes worked as a jackaroo and salesman before joining the Royal Australian Air Force in February 1940.

Gibbes was working as a salesman when he joined the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) on 2 February 1940.

He exaggerated his height, which was below the minimum requirement, to gain entrance.

After completing flying training at Mascot and Richmond, New South Wales, and Point Cook, Victoria, Gibbes was commissioned a pilot officer on 28 June 1940.

His initial posting was to No. 23 Squadron, which operated CAC Wirraways and Lockheed Hudsons out of Archerfield, Queensland.

He was promoted to flying officer on 26 December 1940.

Peter Gibbes, an airline pilot before the war, enlisted in December 1940.

Each earned the Distinguished Flying Cross, Rodney in 1940 for his part in a Wellington bomber raid in Europe while serving with the Royal Air Force, and Peter in 1942 for his actions flying a Hudson bomber with No. 1 Squadron RAAF during the Malayan Campaign.

Posted to the Middle East in April 1941, he flew with No. 3 Squadron in the Syria–Lebanon Campaign, and became commanding officer during the Western Desert Campaign, where his leadership and fighting skills earned him the Distinguished Service Order and the Distinguished Flying Cross and Bar.

In April 1941, Gibbes was posted to the Middle East as adjutant of No. 450 Squadron.

The following month he transferred to No. 3 Squadron, which was flying Hawker Hurricanes.

In June, after converting to P-40 Tomahawks, the squadron commenced operations in the Syria–Lebanon Campaign.

Gibbes was credited with a probable victory over a Junkers Ju 88 near Beirut on 13 June.

On 11 July he claimed his first "kill", a Dewoitine D.520 fighter of the Vichy French air force, over Aleppo.

He shared in its destruction with John Jackson, after which the pair tossed a coin to take full credit for it, and Gibbes won.

In September, No. 3 Squadron transferred to the Western Desert Campaign, where it saw action against German and Italian forces.

On 20 November, during Operation Crusader, Gibbes took part in the destruction of a Messerschmitt Bf 110 with three other pilots, crash landing back at base with damage to his own aircraft.

On 25 November he shot down two Fiat G.50s and damaged three more, as well as a Messerschmitt Bf 109.

Five days later he destroyed a G.50 over Tobruk.

He commanded No. 3 Squadron in North Africa from February 1942 to April 1943, apart from a brief period when he was wounded.

On 22 January 1942, he brought down a Junkers Ju 87 and damaged two G.50s.

He was promoted to acting flight lieutenant the same month.

Raised to acting squadron leader, Gibbes was appointed commanding officer of No. 3 Squadron on 26 February 1942.

The unit's Tomahawks had by this time been replaced by Kittyhawks, and Gibbes emblazoned his with a cartoon depicting a kangaroo kicking a dachshund in the rear.

Rodney died in action over Italy on 16 May 1943.

Subsequently, posted to the South West Pacific, he served with No. 80 Wing of the Australian First Tactical Air Force, and took part in the "Morotai Mutiny" of April 1945.

In a 1990 interview, he related that he had undertaken flying lessons at his own expense before enlisting, but "when war was declared, I thought I'd wait for King George to pay for the rest".

He further recalled that he applied to join the Royal Australian Navy at the same time, but was still waiting for a response.

After the war, he spent many years in New Guinea developing local industry, for which he was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in 2004.

He continued to fly until the age of 85.