7/84 W/O1 Victor James McKibbin MSM, NZEF
NZEF MSM Group to Mounted Rifleman
The excellent MSM group of six to Victor James McKibbon, awarded the Meritorious Service Medal for outstanding service with the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade In Egypt and Palestine.
Victor James McKibbin was born at Pleasant Point, South Canterbury on 24 May 1893 to William McKibbin and Margaret nee Morgan, early farming settlers. A Commercial Traveller by occupation and a member of the 8th (South Canterbury) Mounted Rifle Regiment, he attested to the New Zealand Expeditionary Force in Timaru on 14 August 1914. He sailed from Lyttelton, Christchurch with the battalion on 23 September 1914 for Wellington to be joined by the other battalions with their transports. The fleet departed on 16 October 1914 with McKibbin aboard Transport No. 11 (Athenic) and disembarked at Alexandria on 3 December 1914. He was made Sergeant on 14 August 1914, Staff Sergeant on 1 January 1916, Squadron Sergeant-Major 8 April 1916, and Warrant Officer 30 April 1918. McKibbin was awarded a "parchment certificate" in September 1917 by the General Officer Commanding NZEF for meritorious service. He embarked for New Zealand at Suez on the Devon on 5 April 1919. During his service in Egypt he was admitted to hospital on 7 August 1916 for 10 days at Alexandria sick with ‘jaundice’. During this period he met his future wife, Margaret Elsie Louise Dodd, who was a volunteer nurse, and married her in Cairo. McKibbin's MSM, in recognition of Valuable Services Rendered with the Forces in Egypt, was announced in the London Gazette 3rd June 1918. He was discharged on 2 July 1919 after 4 years and 231 days of service.
In 1942 McKibbin was Managing Director of a motor business and living at 56 Dyers Pass Road, Cashmere, Christchurch, when he was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Home Guard (Christchurch East Battalion). He was promoted to Lieutenant from 1 August 1943 and was posted to the Reserve of Officers with effect from 1 January 1944. Victor James McKibbin died at the above address on 4 June 1962, aged 69 years. At the time of his death he was Managing Director of South Island Motors Ltd and Treasurer of the Canterbury Park Trotting Club, and was a member of the Metropolitan and New Brighton Trotting Clubs.
The medals are in a frame, making photographing of the naming difficult. The 1914/15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal and Meritorious Service Medal are all correctly impressed. The WW2 pair are unnamed as issued.