gmail error

GMAIL crashes on opening - no menu available

What is on screen:

• Icon (blue) with user head/ darker blue
• Message in textbox: An unexpected error has occured. Please try again. Retry
• Rotating Blue/Green/Red/Yellow ball
• IPAD wireless icon on top, center time on top, left battery meter.

What happens:

• Cannot exit using 5 finger sweep
• Must hit home button to exit.
• Conclusion app crashed - and stays in a loop.

Checks:

• Internet working
• IPad mail working and loadable.

I've tried

1. Going into sleep mode then coming back in.
2. Powering down ipad and rebooting it.
3. Looking on internet.
4. Reset (sleep and home button till apple appears. Didn't do it.)
5. Asking for help in this forum - just now.

Weird - Google is not working either - but Safari is working.