Just an old pair of tired binoculars...

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  • mawkie

    C&R Whisperer
    Sep 28, 2007
    4,332
    Catonsville
    -I dabble in collecting vintage binoculars and while surfing the 'net ran across this pair of WWI vintage binoculars with no manuf. marks. Forlorn and dirty with no interest by the binocular collecting community they got my attention for a different reason. My curiosity was piqued by the engraved name and unit: C.W. Gibson / Royal Fusiliers. British officers in WWI often purchased their own sidearms and supplied their own optics. Many times they were engraved with the officer's name and unit.
    -I hopped onto online British service records and found a listing for a Captain Colin W.G. Gibson serving with the Royal Fusiliers. Had to do some more digging and quickly hit pay dirt. This from his page on eVERITAS an online publication covering Canadian military colleges...

    Hon. Mr. Gibson served with the Royal Fusiliers of the British Army from 1914 to 1918, and was wounded twice. He was awarded the Military Cross, the Belgian Order of Leopold, and the Croix de Guerre. He was a member of the Canadian Rifle team at Bisley in 1914, 1925, 1931, 1933, and 1935, and he commanded the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry, the 4th Infantry Brigade, and the Hamilton Garrison. Other posts included the Presidency of the Royal Military College Club in 1935 and 1936; Chairmanship of the Council of the Dominion of Canada Rifle Association from 1928, and membership on the Burlington Beach Commission, 1935-38. He was also Honourary Aide-de-Camp to Lord Bessborough and the late Lord Tweedsmuir during their respective terms as Governor General.

    -And this link to his page on Wikipedia holds info on his political career where he served as a member of the Canadian Parliment, Minister of National Review, Minister of National Defense for Air, Secretary of State and Minister of Energy, Mines and Resources.
    -I was the only bidder for a couple of Jacksons and while the optics are dirty and rough that part doesn't bother me in the least. Enjoying them for their place in history serving a brave soldier. And having a place on the Canadian rifle team at Bisley in 1914 I know he was intimate with the Ross M10 that I love.
     

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    rouchna

    Defund the ATF
    MDS Supporter
    Nov 25, 2009
    5,943
    Virginia
    I think you and Combloc post some of the most interesting pieces I've ever seen. I truly enjoy these kinds of posts.:thumbsup:
     

    OMCHamlin

    Ultimate Member
    BANNED!!!
    May 17, 2017
    1,115
    The Cumberland Plateau
    That is so cool, stuff like that is worth more than the item itself.
    That IS a great story that together with those fine old binoculars, would make for a splendid display if you did a little write up such as that on a plaque on/near the stand, or a wall mounted shadow box, flanked with an old B&W picture of him and his laurels. Or, just print that post and stuff it in the bino case lest it get lost in time...
     

    mawkie

    C&R Whisperer
    Sep 28, 2007
    4,332
    Catonsville
    Now to find his family. Full circle :)

    While digging about I found that his father, Sir John Gibson, also competed at Wimbledon and Bisley rifle matches with Canadian rifle teams. He was also part of the board that approved the Ross rifle as the Canadian service arm. Just a small part of an amazing life, just like his son Colin.
    Sir John Gibson's Wikipedia page
    His Canadian Biography page

    Colin Gibson's only son, Colin D. Gibson, enlisted in the Candian Army in 1942 and fought at Normandy on D-Day commanding a platoon. Sadly he was one of the many Allied officers wounded in the weeks following the invasion.
     
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    c&rdaze

    Active Member
    Oct 2, 2007
    891
    Southern MD
    Thank you for the intertest and follow-thru to save these. I had chills reading the story that you filled in. Bless you for sharing.
     

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