It is possible that the "wounding" became a cover story for his period of treatment for this condition; it is unlikely the folks back home were told the full story.
On October 23, he was declared fit and left hospital for No 2 Aircraft Depot. On November 11, he was posted to France with 18 Squadron, for what was to be his final month in service. The squadron was stationed near Grandcourt and equipped with FE2b machines. Various types of this biplane were used throughout the war,
At first successful, the 2bs were already outclassed by their German rivals. They had a pusher engine mounted behind the pilot. An observer was in front of him at the nose. He had a good view but had to stand to operate his machine gun. The crew were unprotected from the elements and without safety equipment.
At 1.15 on the afternoon of November 20, Hall took off from Lavieville for a defensive patrol in Fe2b 4848. His observer was 2nd Lieutenant George Doughty, another volunteer who had transferred from the Army, the Royal Scots 1st Foot in his case.
Doughty was younger than Gilbert but already an old hand compared to his pilot. Their plane was detailed to fly over the 5th Army front line, to observe activity on the ground and act as a deterrent to enemy plane operations.
Hall headed west from Warlencourt on to Beaucourt, then towards Gommecourt. This happened to be where von Richthofen was operating. He had only begun to amass his victory list in September but was soon to claim his notable 1Ith kill against the British ace Lanoe Hawker. Gilbert Hall was haplessly about to take his place as the 10th out of an eventual 80 victims.
The Red Baron had already downed one British plane in the morning, next leading out four other officers for his second offensive patrol. They flew the new Albatros DI 1 biplanes, which had immediately proved lethally effective.
The Baron gained height to 8,000ft. He spotted the much slower British plane beneath him, outlined against lower cloud. Hall and Doughty had been enduring freezing conditions at altitude for two hours when they came under devastating attack.
Some 300 shots were fired at them. Hall took evasive action, swooping down into cloud cover. When both planes emerged below cloud, the cumbersome Fe2b was no match for its opponent and fell out of control to the ground.
The crash happened west of Grandcourt, behind German lines. Troops ran to the scene, where they found Doughty dead inside the wreckage. Hall was grievously wounded and taken to nearby Cambrai Hospital. Ten days later, on November 30, he died.
The British side at first merely listed him "missing". On December 9, he was reported to have been taken as a prisoner of war.
Wirksworth Grammar School at Christmas was circulating a story that he was presumed to have lost his way in fog and landed in enemy territory. It was only on February 4, 1917, that it was officially confirmed Gilbert had died of his wounds.
German sources stated that they had buried him at their Cemetery Notre Dame, as internment 1616/10.
Nowadays, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission gives his burial site as the Porte-de-Paris Cemetery, 2/A1. Apparently this is explained by a renaming of the original location.
The Halls in Matlock would have known little of Gilbert's demise, beyond the letter penned by his commanding officer.
It spoke of him as being "at the beginning of a fine career.... All who came into contact with him had a real affection for him.... He was of a most delightful disposition ... most capable and efficient ... much missed by his fellow officers". His effects, when forwarded, were valued at £280:5s:45d.
Gilbert has been remembered on plaques at his schools and on the main war memorial at Matlock, to which the gas company contributed.
Further down the hill in St Giles' Churchyard the family erected a fine headstone in tribute to their fallen son. Amidst several graves of Skidmore relatives, just above the path leading to the tower, it can be seen there still.
In this centenary year of the start of the First World War, the name of Gilbert Sudbury Hall is worthy of remembrance.
The Red Baron and Gilbert Hall
