The son of physician and surgeon Richard Horace Gibbs, L.R.C.P., L.R.C.S.Ed, L.F.P.S.G., and Helen Gibbs, née Maconochie, Richard Horace Maconochie Gibbs was born at Warracknabeal, Victoria on 4 February 1893. He was a cousin of Lieutenant Walter Horace Carlyle "Lyle" Buntine, MC.
Brother's death
His younger brother, John Harbinger Gibbs, also attended Caulfield Grammar School, and also served in the First AIF. First taken ill at Gallipoli, John eventually died of illness at his father's Colac home, aged 20, on 13 October 1917, having been repatriated to Australia from England seriously ill with advanced pulmonary tuberculosis and, initially, he had been admitted to the Caulfield Military Hospital.
Father's closure of his medical and surgical practice
Greatly distressed by the loss of both sons, his father — who had also been the local area Recruiting Depot's medical examining officer — closed his medical practice in Colac; and, having decided to use his professional skills to provide medical care for the sick and wounded soldiers who were returning to Australia, his father was gazetted a Major in the AIF, and was appointed Senior Surgeon at No 16 Australian General Hospital in Macleod.
Father's death
On the way home to Malvern on 12 July 1919, his father boarded a Swanston Street cable tram, and was badly injured when he overbalanced and fell from the back platform of the rapidly moving cable tram, upon which he was standing, as it swung round the curve from St Kilda Road into Domain Road, South Yarra. His head hit the roadway, and he sustained a fractured skull, He was taken to the Caulfield Military Hospital, where he died of his injuries on the following day. His body was taken from the hospital to Spencer Street station, en route to Colac, on Tuesday, 15 July: His father was buried in Colac on 16 July "with military honours. A large number of returned men attended. The streets were lined with thousands of spectators."
Education
He was educated at Colac Grammar School and at Caulfield Grammar School, where, in addition to football, he represented the school in both long jump and 440 yards in the team that won the 1911 Schools Amateur Athletic Association's sports meeting, and in swimming. He commenced his medical studies at the University of Melbourne in 1912. 's team for the annual football match against University of Adelaide, played in Adelaide on 12 August 1914 .
Football
He played Inter-Varsity football for the University of Melbourne; and was awarded a full blue for football. He played 35 games for the Melbourne University First XVIII in the VFL competition over three seasons. He played well in his first match, against Essendon, on 27 April 1912, with the reporter remarking that, "although yet only a boy, he marked and kicked so well that he gives great promise". The University team withdrew from the VFL competition prior to the 1915 season; and, having been given a clearance to transfer from University to Melbourne, Gibbs tried out with Melbourne in the pre-season of 1915. However, his enlistment meant that he was unable to play with Melbourne.
Military
He enlisted in the First AIF in May 1915. At the time he was a third-year medical student at Melbourne University. On 1 June 1916, Second Lieutenant R. H. M. Gibbs was promoted to Lieutenant. He was killed on 19 July 1916, in his first clash with the enemy. He was posthumously awarded the Military Cross, "for conspicuous gallantry in action", when leading his troops over a parapet, despite heavy German gunfire: He was originally reported as "missing"; and was not reported as "killed in action" until October 1917.
