Forums.NitroExpress.com

I understand that this is one of the few rare original made Gibbs rifle's in 505 Gibbs

** GEORGE GIBBS
A SCARCE .505 GIBBS BOLT-MAGAZINE SPORTING RIFLE, serial no. B7363,
28 1/8in. nitro barrel engraved 'GEORGE GIBBS. BRISTOL & 35. SAVILE ROW. LONDON. W.', and 'F.L. POULLEY', block-mounted open sights with two folding leaf sights for 100, 200 and 300 yards, block-mounted bead foresight with folding hood, matt top receiver ring, Mauser action with thumb cutout, hinged straddle floorplate with push button release, pistolgrip stock with steel pistolgrip-cap, sling eyes, gold escutcheon engraved 'MAJOR P.F. BROMFIELD.',13in. pull including 1in. rubber recoil pad

Provenance: This rifle was formerly owned by Major Patrick Francis Bromfield, M.C. of Rhodesia.

He was born 26th December 1916 in England where he was schooled before going to the agricultural college at Cirencester. He then moved to Rhodesia and began his army career with the Southern Rhodesian Land Forces in 1936 before being seconded to the Indian Army with the 4th Prince of Wales Own Gurkha Rifles.

He spent a deal of the war fighting the Japanese in Burma and was awarded the Military Cross in 1942 (when an acting Captain) for repeated display of dash and leadership in the face of a numerically superior foe.

He returned to Rhodesia after the war and became a hunter and conservationist of some note. In 1949 he formed his own safari company 'Safari Afloat' on Lake Tanganyika with a later venture based on the Zambesi river. He was to become Chief Game Warden for the Bechuanaland Government and was also responsible for creating the Chobe Game Reserve in 1960.

A friend of his wrote the following obituary following his death on 23rd March 2007.

"'Bromo' joined the 1st Battalion in Wana, moved with it to Burma via mobilisation in Secunderabad. He was with the battalion during the desperate times of the First Burma Campaign and took part in the longest fighting retreat in British history over some 1,000 miles of the most terrible terrain, cut off from any possible help or reinforcement, short of ammunition and food. At the Sittang bridgehead Bromo commanded one of the two companies that held the bridgehead until the ammunition ran out and the bridge was blown up by our Sappers. General Lunt records "the first fourth [sic] Gurkhas fought like hell to save the day, but in the end were unable to do so". Later when the remnants of our division withdrew from Pegu, Bromo with Dicky was part of our force, which was cut off and spent 3-4 days fighting its way out from behind the Jap lines. During that episode they successfully resisted what is believed to be the large cavalry charge in India.

Bromo won his M.C. for his great bravery and superb organisation in setting up an ambush behind the Jap lines where, with the help of a water-cooled Vickers machine gun we 'retrieved' from Rangoon, he and his company accounted for some 400 Japanese dead, who were caught unawares in close column. Bromo's Company suffered no casualties whatsoever. The Regiment has lost one of its most outstanding Officers and I have lost a very dear comrade."
Estimate £7,000-9,000
http://auctions.holtsauctioneers.com/asp...p;t=887334&

--------------------
Norwegian hunter misses moose, shoots man on toilet
.
bringing civilisation to the barbarians

Edited by CptCurl (26/11/11 11:58 PM)