Other Events:

• Name: Laurence Bosdet Hibbs

Notes:

The son of James & Rebecca Hibbs, of 32 Rouge Bouillon, St Helier. One of fourteen children, his mother died when he was just 14-years-old. Educated at Victoria College, Jersey, he won the King's History Prize in 1911 and two years later obtained a scholarship to take Modern History at Exeter College, Oxford.

When war broke out in August1914, he applied for and received a commission as a Second Lieutenant in the Town Battalion of the Jersey Militia and later volunteered to join the Jersey Company when it formed in December that year. After training in Ireland and Aldershot, he was attached to the Machine Gun Section of 7th Royal Irish Rifles, taking command of that unit in February 1916.

In March1916, while resting and training in the village of Lapugnoy with the Jersey Company, he died at the 18th Casualty Clearing Station after a short illness, possibly blood poisoning.

Youngest son of James & the late Rebecca Hibbs of 60 New Street, St Helier, Jersey.

Died of blood poisoning, aged 21 years.

Educated at Victoria College & Exeter College, Oxford

NEWS ITEM in Jersey Evening Post of Wednesday 22 March 1916

Death of Lieutenant L B Hibbs, Jersey Company Royal Irish Rifles. We regret to have to announce the death of Lieutenant L B Hibbs of the Jersey Company of 7th Battalion Royal Irish Rifles. The bare official notification has been received by the family stating that further details will be forwarded in due course. Lieutenant Hibbs volunteered for active service when the Mother Country's appeal was first made and left with the Jersey Contingent on Tuesday 2 March 1915. He visited the Island some time ago prior to his Battalion's proceeding to France. He was an Old Victorian and was highly esteemed by everyone. We offer our condolences to the members of the family.

NEWS ITEM in Jersey Evening Post of Monday 27 March 1916

The Late Lieutenant L B Hibbs - the Cause of Death. Sergeant W F Marshall of the Jersey Company Royal Irish Rifles, brother-in-law of the late Lieutenant Hibbs, arrived in the Island on Saturday from "somewhere in France" having been granted special leave to bring further particulars of the death of the popular young officer. It appears that Lieutenant Hibbs was taken ill last weekend and was at once removed to a Clearing Hospital, here everything possible was done for him and two specialists summoned, but despite all that medical science could suggest the officer did not rally and lapsing into unconsciousness passed away on Tuesday last. The actual cause of death being something of a mystery, but in all probability blood poisoning, how this was contracted being unknown. The sad news has cast quite a gloom over the Company who attended next day at full strength to pay their last respects at the obsequies which were with full Military Honours. Mr James Hibbs, the father of the deceased officer, has received a number of letters expressing sympathy amongst them being one from Major W O Stocker, Officer Commanding the Jersey Company, the following being an extract "Your son was very dear to me, we all turned out yesterday at his burial and I can assure it was very sad for all who knew him and has cast a gloom over the whole Company." The Colonel commanding the Company also wrote as follows "22 March 1916. Dear Mr Hibbs, Your son was so popular with all the officers and men of this Battalion that we can sincerely sympathise with you in your loss. He had already attracted notice in the trenches by his pluck and devotion to duty, in him I have lost a friend and a very keen young officer who knew his work and did it well. On behalf of the whole Battalion I offer you our deepest sympathy. Yours very sincerely, S G FRANCIS, Lieutenant Colonel Commanding 7th RIR." In the course of a letter of sympathy Captain Bird the Chaplain of the Battalion writes "We all admired your son's great mental gifts and his absolute thoroughness and independence of character, fearless straight forward and noble, it will be difficult to find his like." The family, we feel sure, have the full sympathy of our readers in their very sad loss

Notice of Death appears in Jersey Evening Post of Tuesday 28 March 1916

NEWS ITEM in Jersey Evening Post of Thursday 30 March 1916

The Late Lieutenant L B Hibbs. The father of the late Lieutenant Hibbs of the Jersey Company Royal Irish Rifles has received the following letter of sympathy from the King and Queen. "The King and Queen deeply regret the loss you and the Army have sustained by the death of your son in the service of his Country. Their Majesties truly sympathise with you in your sorrow. Keeper of the Privy Purse to J Hibbs Esq, 60 New Street, St Helier, Jersey."

NEWS ITEM in Jersey Evening Post of Thursday 12 April 1917

Memorial to the Late Lieutenant L B Hibbs. The family of the late Lieutenant L B Hibbs of the Jersey Company Royal Irish Rifles have presented a holy water stoop to St Simons Church in memory of the officer, who was formerly a server at the church. The stoop, which has been erected inside the church near the entrance, was blessed on Easter Eve.

Other Events:

• Birth: 1859, St Sampson, Guernsey, Channel Islands

James — Rebecca Amelia Hepburn. Rebecca (daughter of Charles Hepburn and Mary A Meech) was born 1862, St. Helier, Jersey, Channel Islands; died Abt 1908. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Birth: 1819, Swanage, Dorset, England

Thomas — Mary Ann. Mary was born 1821, St Peter Port, Guernsey, Channel Islands. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Birth: 1825, England

Charles — Mary A Meech. Mary (daughter of Nathanael Meech and Susan) was born 1829, Alderney, Channel Islands. [Group Sheet]

Nathanael — Susan. Susan was born 1811, Alderney, Channel Islands. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Birth: 1812, Alderney, Channel Islands