AWAITING SERVICE RECORDS 

Biography kindly written by Stacey Bush (granddaughter)

John Laverty Gibb — known to his family as Jack, and to his army comrades as Jock, Gibb, Gibbo and Jackie — was born and grew up in Glasgow, Scotland.

At 18, he joined the British Army's 3rd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment, (3 PARA). What follows about his service is pieced together from a collection of his own photographs and their handwritten captions, so the details below are our best understanding rather than confirmed fact — we have applied for his official service records and will update this once we hear back.

His training took place at Aldershot in 1955, alongside comrades including Rowley, Miles and Marsh. Later that year the photos place him in Germany, taking part in field exercises and signal station work, with airborne resupply training involving American C-119 aircraft. Through 1955 and into 1956, the photographs show him in Cyprus — mountain training near Morphou, internal security duties, and time with his mates at Kyrenia and up in the Troodos Mountains. By November 1956, a dated photograph places him at Port Said, suggesting he took part in the Suez operation with 3 PARA.

Between 1956, when his Parachute Regiment service in Cyprus and Suez appears to end, and 1960, when his confirmed New Zealand SAS record begins, there is a four-year gap in his story. Family recollection places him with the British SAS during this period, though we have found no photographs or records confirming it yet — it's the one part of his service history we're still working to fill in.

His New Zealand SAS service and postings, including time in Malaya and Borneo during the Confrontation with Indonesia, are confirmed through the New Zealand Cenotaph record.

After his service, Jack returned home to Glasgow, where he built a career as a cargo handler and later in airport security.

Jack loved technology all his life — he always seemed to have the newest gadget before anyone else did. He was passionate about racehorses and owned two of his own. Perhaps above all, he loved to travel, and made a point of taking each of his grandchildren abroad at least once. Anyone who flew with him will remember his favourite line as the plane took off: "Flying is safer than driving — a plane can't reverse into a mountain", delivered with a grin to make sure nobody on board felt nervous.

Jack was loved and admired by his family — the kind of grandad whose stories you hung on every word of, and who made the world feel a little bigger and more exciting just by being in it."

John Gibb took many photos during his service. His granddaughter has donated these to ParaData. Please scroll down to view them.