Wing Commander R H M ("Bobby") Bobby Gibbes DSO DFC & Bar
Silly Old Git
Was there ever any truth in the story that" Poppa" Rausch was with the sausage-side in the desert at the same time Bobby was there?
I believe he was with Hans-Joachim Marseilles squadron
I believe he was with Hans-Joachim Marseilles squadron
Last edited by tinpis; 27th Apr 2007 at 07:07.
Thread Starter
I knew Poppa and Momma Raasch. I guess Poppa died at least 20 years ago. He was a brilliant engineer and finished his career with Hawkers, after being sacked by Junior. Welcome to the Club!!! 
Bobby employed him to go to Bromma, Sweden in 1956 to get the JU52/3m's serviceable. Poppa said he was with the Luftwaffe right through the fracas when they came second, but never mentioned if he was in North Africa the same time as Bobby.
Poppa was a gentleman, a wonderful guy and an absolutely brilliant engineer.
Bobby employed him to go to Bromma, Sweden in 1956 to get the JU52/3m's serviceable. Poppa said he was with the Luftwaffe right through the fracas when they came second, but never mentioned if he was in North Africa the same time as Bobby.
Poppa was a gentleman, a wonderful guy and an absolutely brilliant engineer.
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Paul told me he was working on JU-87's throughout the Italian campaign.
I used to love his favourite phrase; "Don't fix zee aeroplane! Change zee pilot!!"
A great guy!
G'day
I used to love his favourite phrase; "Don't fix zee aeroplane! Change zee pilot!!"
A great guy!
G'day
Thread Starter
kentsboro. If you are talking about Bobby's autobiography "You Live But Once" I'm sorry, you are out of luck. Bobby privately funded the publication in very limited numbers and it sold out some years ago. I have a personal signed copy.
I suggested to his family they try to locate the manuscript with a view to a soft cover reprint.
Tinpis. I know where there may be a copy of Jim Sinclair's "Sepik Pilot" which may be available. Contact me.
I suggested to his family they try to locate the manuscript with a view to a soft cover reprint.
Tinpis. I know where there may be a copy of Jim Sinclair's "Sepik Pilot" which may be available. Contact me.
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Copies of "Sepik Pilot" can be purchased through www.abebooks.com.Prices range from $US25 to $US63 + postage.They are currently showing fourteen copies available from various suppliers mostly located in Australia.
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A Rememberance of WC Bobby Gibbes
In the early 1980's I was returning home to Dee Why after having been surfing at Collaroy beach. It was a beautiful day and as I was very fit and healthy, decided to walk along the beachfront all the way.
Ahead of me in Fishermans Cove (the northern side of Long Reef) was an older thickset man fishing. Being a chatty sort of bloke I stopped and made some comment or other about the day and one thing led to another and I was invited in for a cuppa to the house just behind us on the beachfront.
This was Bobby Gibbes's place. He regaled me with fascinating moments from his life, and I was a bit nonplussed that this man of many adventures was unknown to me although I was gaining the idea the gentleman carried some fame.
In the course of our chat I let slip that I was interested in antiquities and old objet de art and immediately Bobby flashed his amazing toothy grin and said 'Come and have a look in here!'.
The 'here' was a downstairs room completely filled with wonderful old artifacts. Bobby told me that he had taken them in payment for some debt or other and had had them for many years, and was I interested in buying them?
Bobby then went on to say that it was imperitive the pieces were moved out of the room because it was where he intended to put the odds and ends of the upper living room where he intended to build an aircraft!
I thought he was joking and laughingly suggested that couldnt be right, the room in which he intended to build the aircraft was upstairs facing the road, and certainly did not seem large enough to be where one might build an aeroplane.
He laughed and said that when the aircraft was completed he could easily take the front wall off to remove it! I wasnt to know that this was just the sort of 'can do' which characterised Bobby Gibbes's view on life.
The upshot of my visit was that I immediately went and saw a friend of mine, Rene, who also lived in Collaroy and was a fellow collector of old things, and described to him the fantastic array of things I had seen, and was he interested in going partners with me to purchase them.
Rene rang Bobby and made a time for he and I together to go and look at the collection, which we subsequently did, taking the whole collection off Bobby's hands and giving him the required room to organise for his intended build of the acrobatic aircraft.
At the time of my running into Bobby Gibbes on Fishermans Cove I was only on holidays from my mining ventures in central Queensland, to which I quickly returned, and did not see Bobby Gibbes again, although I from that time on, endeavoured to find out as much as I could about this fascinating character who had delivered to Rene and I some super aquisitions.
Needless to say, there was plenty to find out, and I am so pleased that I had to opportunity to briefly speak with an icon of Australian flight.
Vale Bobby Gibbes - you were a heck of a man.
Regards,
Marty.
Ahead of me in Fishermans Cove (the northern side of Long Reef) was an older thickset man fishing. Being a chatty sort of bloke I stopped and made some comment or other about the day and one thing led to another and I was invited in for a cuppa to the house just behind us on the beachfront.
This was Bobby Gibbes's place. He regaled me with fascinating moments from his life, and I was a bit nonplussed that this man of many adventures was unknown to me although I was gaining the idea the gentleman carried some fame.
In the course of our chat I let slip that I was interested in antiquities and old objet de art and immediately Bobby flashed his amazing toothy grin and said 'Come and have a look in here!'.
The 'here' was a downstairs room completely filled with wonderful old artifacts. Bobby told me that he had taken them in payment for some debt or other and had had them for many years, and was I interested in buying them?
Bobby then went on to say that it was imperitive the pieces were moved out of the room because it was where he intended to put the odds and ends of the upper living room where he intended to build an aircraft!
I thought he was joking and laughingly suggested that couldnt be right, the room in which he intended to build the aircraft was upstairs facing the road, and certainly did not seem large enough to be where one might build an aeroplane.
He laughed and said that when the aircraft was completed he could easily take the front wall off to remove it! I wasnt to know that this was just the sort of 'can do' which characterised Bobby Gibbes's view on life.
The upshot of my visit was that I immediately went and saw a friend of mine, Rene, who also lived in Collaroy and was a fellow collector of old things, and described to him the fantastic array of things I had seen, and was he interested in going partners with me to purchase them.
Rene rang Bobby and made a time for he and I together to go and look at the collection, which we subsequently did, taking the whole collection off Bobby's hands and giving him the required room to organise for his intended build of the acrobatic aircraft.
At the time of my running into Bobby Gibbes on Fishermans Cove I was only on holidays from my mining ventures in central Queensland, to which I quickly returned, and did not see Bobby Gibbes again, although I from that time on, endeavoured to find out as much as I could about this fascinating character who had delivered to Rene and I some super aquisitions.
Needless to say, there was plenty to find out, and I am so pleased that I had to opportunity to briefly speak with an icon of Australian flight.
Vale Bobby Gibbes - you were a heck of a man.
Regards,
Marty.
Silly Old Git
Was just browsing this thread and wondered...
...what those things may have been and if some had once belonged to Herr Hitler 
The 'here' was a downstairs room completely filled with wonderful old artifa]cts. Bobby told me that he had taken them in payment for some debt or other and had had them for many years, and was I interested in buying them?
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Bobby Gibbes
I met Bobby only once shortly before he passed away. I was visiting my aunt Anne Cawthray on Collaroy plateau when Bobby suddenly arrived bustling with excitement as he had just completed his book and he wanted her to read it immediately. The two were old friends from her brothers Hugh, Neville and Geoff Hemsworth who were all early pilots (a story in themselves) .
I had flown for some time in PNG and we immediately had a common ground resulting in over an hour of engrossing conversation. Unfortunately there were no spare copies available but I was privileged to an all too brief review.
Although this was an incidental encounter I always remember his dynamic energy even at that age.
I had flown for some time in PNG and we immediately had a common ground resulting in over an hour of engrossing conversation. Unfortunately there were no spare copies available but I was privileged to an all too brief review.
Although this was an incidental encounter I always remember his dynamic energy even at that age.
