Name
Robert Dymond Gladman Sibley
3 Nov 1897
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
01/10/1918
20
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Major
Royal Air Force
210th Sqdn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
ARRAS FLYING SERVICES MEMORIAL
France
Headstone Inscription
No Report
UK & Other Memorials
Harpenden Town Memorial, Church of St Nicholas Memorial, Harpenden, Wheathamstead Village Memorial, Plaque, St Helens Church, Wheathampstead, Bedford School, Altar & Reredos, WW1, Bedford
Pre War
Robert Dymond Gladman was born in Harpenden on 3 Nov 1897 to Charles Francis Sibley, a JP, farmer, valuer, brick manufacturer, and Alice S (nee Hutchins). On the 1901 Census, his parents were living at Annables Farm, Harpenden with Sylvia Mary G (born 1894), Frederick H (born 1896) and Robert (born 1898). Also recorded were Anna Moore (governess) and Katherine Letch (housemaid). Robert was educated as a boarder at Bedford School, Bedford from 1908 to 1913. Robert’s elder brother John Charles (born 1890) was living with his Aunt Maria and being educated at her private school and worked on Annables Farm (farmer's son) in 1911.
On the 1911 Census Robert’s Parents, Sylvia were living at the Grove, Harpenden.
Wartime Service
Robert joined the Royal Naval Air Service in Nov 1914 serving at Eastbourne, East Church and Isle of Grain. He was assigned to HMS Campania in April 1915 and in Jan 1917 to Courageous, a Light Battlecruiser. In May 1917 he was assigned to Isle of Grain on Special Service and in Jun 1917 he was posted to HMS Furious which was being commissioned in Armstrong Whitworth Shipyard. Furious was converted during building from a Light Battlecruiser to Aircraft Carrier with a flight deck over the forward hull. Following this he spent 2 months attached to Air Dept before joining on 14 Jan 1918 HMS Pegasus, an aircraft Carrier/seaplane Carrier.
On 5 Mar 1918 he joined HMS Furious. At some time he joined 10 Squadron RNAS stationed at Bray Dunes, near Adinkerke. On formation of the Royal Air force on 1 Apr 1918 this was renumbered as 210 Sqn. RAF and Robert became a Major and not Lieutenant Commander. He was killed in action in Sopwith Camel F.1 No .D1883, when last seen he had engaged by 12-15 enemy aircraft over Houlthulst Forest, north of Ypres, and was believed to have crashed in the Forest about 09.50am.
His remains were not recovered and he is remembered on the Arras Flying Services Memorial.
Additional Information
Arrears of £507 1s 1d paid to his father.
Brother John Charles Gladman Sibley went to France with Army service Corps in Dec 1914 transferring to RNVR (Sub Lieutenant) to train as observer in Royal Naval Air Service in Feb 1918 and was demobilised on 31 Jul 1919 as Lieutenant in the Royal Air Force.
Acknowledgments
Neil Cooper
Mary Skinner, Harpenden & District Local History Society (www.harpenden-history.org.uk)
