Stanley's Story.
Second son of William and Rita Gibbs of Agden, Cheshire Stanley was born in 1893 at Wolstencroft Cottage, Spring Lane, Agden, Lymm Cheshire. He was educated at Oughtrington School and attended Lymm Parish Church. He married Agnes Graham Thompson Kerr on September 5th 1912 at Holy Trinity Church, Bollington and then resided in Henry Street, Lymm with his wife and two young children. He was employed as a wheelwright by William Kirkpatrick, Wheelwright & Joiner.Stanley enlisted with the Cheshire Regiment when war broke out and was posted to France in 1915. He was wounded at Hill 60 and was invalided home. After recuperating from his injuries he was posted out to Egypt in 1916 and it was whilst he was in Egypt that he trained for the RAF and in due course won his course.
He was on board the SS Ivernia when it was torpedoed by a German U-Boat on January 1st 1917. Thankfully he survived the sinking and was rescued by the HMS Rifleman.
Following the Armistice Stanley's unit remained on the continent as part of the air mail service and the flight during which he met his death, aged 22 was his first mission on going to Cologne.
He was buried with full military honours on 10th May 1919 at Sudfiredhof Cemetery
Headstone picture taken by Graeme Ainsworth
Researched and amended by Lynn Smith