Thomas Gibson Ackroyd was born in Stanks on 7^th November 1893 and was christened the following year at St. James’s Church, Manston. He was the second of four children born to the marriage between Maurice Ackroyd, a warehouseman, and his wife, Emily (nee Carter). The other children were Elsie (b. 1890), Catherine (b. 1895), and Rowland (b.1899).

After leaving school, Gibson, as he was known to the family, became a cloth cutter, which led to his employment as a ladies tailor. It was in this profession he was working for Mr Walter Albrecht at Mabgate Mills, in Leeds prior to his volunteering for the Army.

The battalion was withdrawn from Gallipoli in January 1916, bound for Egypt, where it stayed to reorganise and train until it was transferred to the Western Front in France in July 1916. 

Gibson Ackroyd was not with it, however, as he had been wounded in action in Gallipoli on 3^rd October 1915 with a gun-shot wound to his left thigh. He was evacuated to England and treated at the 3^rd London General Hospital at Wandsworth, in London, where he arrived on 19^th October 1915. At this time he was struck off the strength of the 8^th Battalion and transferred to the Depot Battalion of the Regiment. He was transferred to Woodcote Park Military Convalescent Hospital in Epsom, Surrey on light duties on 3^rd December 1915, where he was medically graded ‘C’ with the rider that he was fit for light duties but was not fit for overseas service, and not likely to be for at least three months.