Denis Gibbons (1937 – 2011) Trained with the Australian Army, before travelling to Vietnam in January 1966, Denis stayed with the 1st Australian Task Force in Nui Dat working as a photographer. For almost five years Gibbons toured with nine Australian infantry battalions, posting compelling war images from within many combat zones before being flown out in late November 1970 after sustaining injuries. The images held within the National Vietnam Veterans Museum make up the Gibbons Collection.A black and white photograph of the Gibbons family, left to right: Stanley William Gibbons (son, father, grandfather), Denis Stanley Gibbons (son, father, grandson), in front Peter Denis Gibbons (son, grandson, great grandson), Robert William Gibbons (father, grandfather, great grandfather). Circa 1960.photograph, gibbons collection catalogue, stanley william gibbons, denis stanley gibbons, peter denis gibbons, robert william gibbons, denis gibbons, photographer, vietnam war

Denis Gibbons (1937 – 2011) Trained with the Australian Army, before travelling to Vietnam in January 1966, Denis stayed with the 1st Australian Task Force in Nui Dat working as a photographer. For almost five years Gibbons toured with nine Australian infantry battalions, posting compelling war images from within many combat zones before being flown out in late November 1970 after sustaining injuries. The images held within the National Vietnam Veterans Museum make up the Gibbons Collection.A black and white photograph of Denis Stanley Gibbons in 1940, aged three years. This family portrait was taken at Lithgow prior to going to Sydney to visit HMAS Sydney during an 'open day' prior to her sailing off to war. During the vist to Garden Island, I managed somehow to become disengaged from my mother and father each thinking the other had me with them. When they finally met up and no Denis in sight, panic became the order of the day. I was finally found below deck where some of the sailors had taken me and were giving me a grand time. They informed my mum and dad that had I not been found they were going to make me the Sydney's mascot. To this day when I recall this story l think of all those fine young sailors who lost their lives when Sydney was sunk by the German raider off the coast of Western Australia.photograph, hmas sydney, gibbons collection catalogue, denis gibbons, photographer, vietnam war

A black and white photograph of Tonkin Gulf, North Vietnam 25th May 1967 Lt Stanley L Masterton briefs Australian War Correspondent, Denis Gibbons, during his visit to the Australian Guided Missile Destroyer HMAS Hobart. the briefing is taking place on the flag deck, where a large set of signal flags are visible in a ready use locker behind them. the ship, was at that time engaging, with ship to shore gunfire, a major "choke point" (an area where the North Vietnamese were preparing war supplies to be shipped to their units in South Vietnam) at the township of "Vinh". Hobart was expecting, at any moment, counted battery fire from North Vietnamese coastal batteries after radar stations on Hainan Island, Near Haiphong Harbour and at Vinh had locked onto Horart's position with very accurate triangular positioning. Lt Masterton was informing Gibbons of the incoming enemy fire and was worried he (Gibbons) was not wearing a helment, gibbons, most respectfully advised Lt Masterton that he could not operate his cameras with a helmet on. Hobart immediately turned and saled, very rapidly, out to sea as the counter battery fire commencedAustralian War memorial negative: Navy 13503photograph, hmas hobart, lt stanley l masterton, denis gibbons, vinh, hainan island, haiphong harbour, gibbons collection catalogue