Norman Gibbs’ Diary

Norman Gibbs’ Diary Intro

Norman Gibbs was born in 1917 and died in 2010 at the age of 93 years.  Before his death he had dictated his war memories which were then donated to the Bytom Museum in Poland, near to the site of his captivity in Silesia. Although Gibbs was not an Artilleryman or in my father's Regiment,...

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Norman Gibbs’ Diary- Part 1 and 2

  Norman Gibbs Diary.  PART 1- THE GERMAN INVASION '..On 10th May 1940 the news came through that German forces had invaded Holland and Belgium.  France had constructed the famous Maginot Line, which was expensive, elaborate and bore the motto ‘They Shall Not Pass'.  Unfortunately the firepower was fixed inflexibly towards the east.  This lengthy...

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Norman Gibbs’ Diary- Part 3

Norman Gibbs' Diary - Part 3 Return to Lamsdorf, June 1944 '..I set off next morning with a heavy heart as I felt four and a half years of close contact had come to a sudden unexplained end. About half way on the walk to the station I asked the guard for a rest saying...

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Norman Gibbs’ Diary – The Long March Part 1

Norman Gibbs' Diary The Long March (Part 1) [Norman Gibb's Route can be seen on the Lamsdorf Long March site, www.lamsdorflongmarch.com, authored by Dave Lovell & Ian Bowley, themselves both sons of Long March survivors] '..In early January 1945 there had been rumours that the Russian forces were rapidly approaching our area. This was made...

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Norman Gibbs’ Diary- The Long March Part 2

Norman Gibbs' Diary- The Long March Part 2 1st April 1945 '...It was Sunday April 1st, Easter Day.  Bert, who had been up for about two hours, was sick again so we found the English Medical Officer who was with the column.  He took Bert to a stall that was being used as a sick...

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Norman Gibbs’ Diary- Liberation

Liberation Norman Gibbs participated in the 2011 BBC documentary series 'The Long March to Freedom'. This is a still from the video recording.  Buchbach, Bavaria 2nd May 1945 '..The mayor of Buchbach had declared it was an ‘open town’ as the SS had left two days earlier. It was now Wednesday 2nd May and we...

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