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World War 1 One ww1 wwII greatwar great 1914 1918 first battalion regiment
Pte. William James Gammell
British Army 8th Btn. Royal Irish Fusiliers
from:Ireland
(d.10th July 1916)
Pte. Leonard Norton "Dick" Gammidge
British Army 15th (Civil Service Rifles) Btn. London Regiment
(d.25th Sept 1915)
Leonard Gammidge of the 15th London County Civil Service Rifles was killed at Loos, on the 25th of September 1915.
Leonard Gammidge, better known by his family and friends as Dick, was at Haywardsfield from 1906-1910, and played for the School in the 2nd football team. After leaving Wycliffe he was articled to a London firm of land and estate agents, but joined the 15th Civil Service Rifles directly after the outbreak of war. This was one of the first of the Territorial Regiments to go to France, and Dick crossed with his battalion at the end of 1914. The Western Front in France and Flanders was not a health resort in 1915, nor, indeed, at any time, but during eight months' service the letters which Dick Gammidge wrote home were always cheery, with never a word of complaint.
He was killed in the advance of 25th of September 1915, during the fighting which resulted from the capture of Loos. Two battalions which were assaulting the German trenches needed a new supply of hand grenades. His own No. 6 plaĂ‚Âtoon volunteered to do the work. It was necessary to carry the bombs to a zone 300 yards wide, swept by German rifle fire and machine guns, and out of the party of twenty-six men who started, only four had returned when night fell. Leonard Gammidge was one of the ten who were killed, but it is said that unless these bombs had reached the forward battalionsĂ‚Â for others came back to take them from those who fell - the position which the British had captured could never have been held. He was twenty-one years of age when he thus laid down his life for his comrades. (From 'Wycliffe in the War', 1923.)
Richard John Gammon DFC.
Royal Flying Corps 104 Sqd.
Richard John Gammon enlisted at Hampton Court in 1914/1915 and served in the trenches until getting 'trench feet'. He then volunteered for the R.F.C and flew D.H.9a bombers and was awarded the D.F.C He served with 104 squadron until 1919 when he was demobilised.
Pte. William Stanley Argyle Gammon
British Army 4th Btn. Coldstream Guards
from:Oxford
(d.15th Sep 1915)
William Gammon was killed in action on the 15th of September 1915, aged 21, he was the son of William and Eva L. Gammon, of 90 Divinity Rd., Oxford.
Cpl. Henry John Gander
British Army 1st Garrison Battalion West Yorkshire Regiment
from:Canada
This account is taken from notes written by my great grandfather, Henry Gander serving with the 1st Garrison Battalion, West Yorkshire Regiment
Left Sheffield Aug 16th 1915 where we were entrained for Devenport. Arriving at Devenport about 10.45am 17th and went straight on board H M T Ivernia remaining in harbour until 2.30pm 18th.
When we started our journey to Malta on our way down the English Channel we was saluted by the Navy three times by sounding the general salute. We was escorted out of the Channel by H M L Liberty which stayed with us until about 2.30am 19th when we was then escorted by a submarine round the coast of France.
The weather now getting very warm now we are nearing Spain. On Sat 21st we came in sight of the coast of Portugal the weather still being very warm and fine.
At dinner time a sea plane followed us for a considerable distance but its nationality we did not get to know. I might mention here that we have about 2800 on board all males. The food being very fair, but the boat itself is a very smooth running boat speed averages about 15-16 knots.
About 7pm we came in sight of Morocco on the West Coast of Africa running very close to the coast. The country being very hilly and rugged. The water we are now running through being called the Straits of Gibraltar.
At about 11pm we arrived at Gibraltar but never went into port owing to having sufficient troops aboard and having no more room.
On Sunday 22nd we arose to find ourselves right in the Mediteranian Sea the deck all being covered owing to the intense heat. The sea now being as smooth as a village pond not even a ripple on the water. We had Church Parade at 9.30 and passing the rest of the day lolling and laying about deck. I myself thinking of the dear old home and the loved ones I had left behind.
On Sunday night we came to the North Coast of Africa. On Monday 23rd we arose no land being in sight and rather a rough sea, causing a lot of the troops to be sick. I might mention that during the night we was held up by three Italian Cruisers but course they let us proceed as soon as they found out who we were.
It is said that an Austrian boat is on the alert but we kept changing our course as we are being directed by the Admiralty from land by special code. We have now come in sight of another part of the North Coast of Africa.
At 11am we was inoculated against cholera.
On Tuesday 24th I rose about 4am the sea being still high but a lot of the troops having got over their sickness. We was still running close to the North Coast of Africa until about 9am when we run clear of land into the open sea.
In the afternoon about 3pm when we come in sight of the (Sixilly Island?)the coast being very high but very picturesque the cliffs being composed of very different coloured rock. Inland was very interesting looking as though it was newly settled there being a great number of shacks about which reminded me very much of North Western Canada. Then we was running in open sea until bedtime but when we arose on Wednesday morning we was in sight of Malta rather a quaint looking place the buildings being flat roofed.
We got into harbour quarter to eight but owing to some error we had to stop on board all day. But myself being in charge of the cookhouse I disembarked about 10pm with the cooks, and went to camp ready to take over the cookhouse the next morning off the City Of London Territorials. The camp being very hilly and rocky the Island being the Base Hospital for the Dardenels.
I have copied faithfully from the original script so please forgive any mis-spelt words.
Whilst in Malta he wrote the following poem, as you can see by the date peace was still a long way off.
England's Heroes
When the War is over and Peace is proclaimed And the roar of the Guns is at rest There'll be cripples galore amongst rich and poor Don't forget they were England's Best Some donned the Khaki some donned the Blue Each swore to stick it and see the thing through We'll win or we'll die said Jack Tar to Tom In August fourteen the struggle begun First France, Belgium and Russia and the cowardly Hun Old England at once her reserves mobilized Three quarters of which left children and wives A weeks preparation each shouldered his gun And straight out to France to slaughter the Hun Luck was against us from Mons we retreat The Marne and the Aisne almost proved our defeat At last fortune smiled reinforcements arrived Our Indian Contingent to fight by our side But the six weeks of battle say French to (Joffre?) Were the bloodiest fought in English History We lost fifty thousand in less than three months Two thirds married men The pick of the bunch Two Million Young Sons Answered Kitchener's Call To Avenge Those BRAVE HEROES who early did fall The times not far off when the guns will be dumb And The Allies have conquered the Cowardly Hun My next few verses I trust all will heed And Respect all those HEROES who KEPT ENGLAND FREED What will become of our HEROES When Home they return once again Who have been fighting for England On Sea and the Land Battle Stained Some will be life long Cripples And their names in history will ring Give each one a mark of Distinction That's been fighting for Home and KING Just play the game for our Heroes When the awful struggle is o'er Don't let them enter the Workhouse As they did in the days of yore. H.J. Gander, 10th March 1916, Malta
I have committed these words to this site as a mark of respect to my great grandfather, I never knew him, but as well as being a war hero, he was also my Dad's hero.
Pte. Thomas Henry Ganderton
British Army 3rd Btn. Worcestershire Regiment
from:Holberrow Green
(d.10th Jul 1916)
Harry Ganderton is commemorated on the Thiepval Memoprial.
Capt. Francis Edgmont Gane
Canadian Expeditionary Force 43rd Battalion (Manitoba Regiment)
(d.13th May 1916)
Captain Francis Gane served with the 43rd Battalion (Manitoba Regiment) Canadian Infantry CEF during WW1 and was killed in action on the 13th May 1916, aged 31. He is buried in Railway Dugouts Burial Ground (Transport Farm) in Belgium. He was the son of Francis Job and Belinda Gane, of The Willows, Normanby, Taranaki, New Zealand.
Pte. Jefferson Gann
British Army 22nd (The Queens) Battalion London Regiment
from:Lambeth, London
(d.1st November 1916)
Jefferson Gann is buried in Lambeth (Tooting) Cemetery in London. He died of wounds on 1st of November 1916, Aged 36. He was the husband of Mary Ann Gann of 9 Lanfranc St., Westminster Bridge Rd., London. I Cannot establish how he died it just says died of wounds, Winnall Down Camp, Winchester.
Sgt. Joseph Edward Gannon
British Army 18th Btn. Durham Light Infantry
Pte. William Gant
British Army 10th Btn. Essex Regiment
from:Myland, Colchester
William Gant served in 8th cyclist Battalion, Essex Regiment from August 1915. He was posted to 10th Essex in about 1916 and was gassed on the 18th of April 1918 at Hangard Wood. He was in B M Hospital at Lille, December 1918 and pensioned from 1919. He died of effects of gas at Ipswich Hospital, Suffolk on 28th of December 1921 He received the British War and Victory Medal and left his family of a wife and 4 children.
Pte. James Garbett
British Army 11th Battalion Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers
from:Easington Colliery, Co Durham.
(d.10th Mar 1916)
My Great Grandfather, 18361 Private James Garbett 11th Battalion Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, was killed in action on 10th March 1916 aged 37 years old. He was a miner born in Dukinfield (Greater Manchester) he followed his father also a miner around the UK and ended up in a town called Easington near Durham. He was married to Miriam Garbett and had 4 children at the time of his death and lived and worked at Easington Colliery.
In December 1914 the German Navy shelled the town of Hartlepool and this is when my Great Grandfather decided to join up in the British Army. He enlisted in 1915 in Newcastle. I have obtained a copy of the War Diaries from the National Archives and read through them and thought there were several soldiers injured my great grandfather unfortunately appears to be the first fatality for the battalion in the trenches and was killed by rifle fire on the 10th March 1916 (although his surname name is spelt incorrectly) and is buried in Hamel Military in grave I.E.14 Cemetery in the village of Hamel
Pte. William Garbett
British Army 1st Btn. Lincolnshire Regiment
(d.15th December 1915)
William Garbett was a coal miner and worked at Warsop Main Colliery in Nottinghamshire. He was married to Beatrice Hodgkinson and fathered three children. At the outbreak of WW1 he enlisted at Mansfield and served with the 1st Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment. William's wife died in October 1914, leaving three very young children to be looked after by Billy's Mother, Sarah.
William Garbett lost his life when the trench he was working in was hit by German shell fire, on 15th of December 1915. He was aged 33 years and is buried in Houplines Community Cemetery Extension in France. Unfortunately his name on his headstone as been etched as Garbutt. The three children were brought up by their Grandmother Garbett.
Pte. Charles John Garbutt
British Army 18th Btn. Durham Light Infantry
served with 18th & 22nd DLI
2Lt. Lawrence Mark Garbutt
British Army 9th Btn. Norfolk Regiment
(d.10th Aug 1918)
Lawrence Mark enlisted on 10th of December 1915, in Army Reserve. His physical description was given as fresh complexion, brown hair, brown eyes, height 5ft 6½ins, girth when expanded 37 inches with a 3 inch range of expansion, with no distinctive marks. His religion was Church of England.
He was mobilized on 17th of April 1916. He was with 24th Division on 30 August 1915 and 6th Division 11 October 1915 and tested on 17th April 1916, where he was sent to 7 (FT) Artillery Training School as a Driver on 19th April 1916.
On 7th September 1917 he was transferred to No.12 Cadet Battalion, Newmarket for training as an Officer. He was discharged to Commission on 17th December 1917 as 2nd Lieutenant in the 3rd (Battalion) Essex Regiment. On 12 February 1918 Lawrence was passed as fit for his transfer to the Machine Gun Corps (Heavy Branch).
Whilst attached to the 9th Norfolk Regiment he went to the Western Front with 71st Brigade. He was gassed and had just returned to his unit when he was wounded in action on 18th July 1918. History tells us that the British Command decided that as they had taken so many hits that day the order was given to withdraw and to leave all the dead and dying lying on the battlefield. The ANZACS were sent to move into position and Lawrence was picked up and taken to the 3rd Australian Casualty Clearing Station. He had been hit in the lower right lumbar and kidney region. Lawrence died there three days later, cause of death "of wounds received in action".
Lawrence Mark was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal. He is buried in Esquelbecq Cemetery in France. The newspaper report of Lawrence Mark's death states that he was 28 years of age, his death certificate and report from the Ministry of Defence confirms that he was wounded on 31st July 1918 and died on 10th August 1918. This is also reinforced by the War Diaries for the 9th Norfolk Regiment held at the National Archives, Kew, London.
Pte. Thomas Garbutt
British Army 13th Battalion Durham Light Infantry
from:Hartlepool, Durham
(d.2nd June 1917)
Pvt. Juan Tobias Garcia
United States Army
from:Wagon Mound, New Mexico
Juan Garcia registered for the draft on 5th of June 1917 in Mora, New Mexico. Born in Genova, New Mexico, Juan Tobias lived in Wagon Mound, New Mexico with his adoptive parents Jose Vencelao and Decideria Garcia. Once drafted, it is not known exactly where he went through training. He may have trained at Camp Cody in Deming, New Mexico.
Tobias left for Europe from Pier 61 in NYC aboard the SS Lapland on 28th of June 1918 at 9:35am. He joined the Company 14 from Camp Kearney, California on with the June Auto Replenishment Draft Infantry. After about two weeks of travel, the SS Lapland landed in England.
Tobias would come back to the United States in February of 1919 and landed in Hoboken, New Jersey.
L/Sgt. Harold George Gard
British Army Royal Munster Fusiliers
from:Islington London
George Gard was born in 1890. Before joining the army he was employed as a clerk. He enlisted on 9th September, about a month after the declaration of war. After basic training he saw action at Gallipoli where he was shot and wounded in action. This resulted in the amputation of his left arm whilst still near the battlefield. He was discharged as unfit for service in September 1916. He subsequently married and lived a full and active life until the time of his death
A/Bombdr. Frederick Garde
British Army 23rd Siege Battalion Royal Garrison Artillery
from:Manchester
(d.10th June 1917)
Sjt. J. Garden
Army Durham Light Infantry
Pte. Aaron Gardener
British Army 24th (Tyneside Irish) Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers
from:Gateshead
(d.17th July 1917)
Arron Gardener is buried at Achiet le Grand
Cpl. John Gardener
British Army 1st Btn. Middlesex Regiment
(d.26th September 1917)
Pte. Thomas Gardener
British Army 24th (Tyneside Irish) Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers
from:Gateshead
Thomas Gardner was wounded in July 1916
Pte. Charles George Gardiner
British Army 1st Btn. Royal Inniskillen Fusiliers
from:Coolsallagh,Dromore, Co Down, Ireland
This is my Great Grandfather. He signed up in October 1899, and joined the Royal Inniskillen Fusiliers at Omagh on 14th October 1899. His service records show that they were mobilised at Omagh on 5th of August 1914. He was in France from 23rd of August 1914 to 25th of August 1914 and taken POW on the 26th of August 1914, he was held until the end of the war and was repatriated on the 15th of December 1914 and demobbed on 20th of March 1919. He served for a total of 19 years 161 days.
From another source I have been able to establish that he received a wound to his thigh and was held at a hospital in Crefield for a time. The entry reads; Gardiner, Charles, Priv. Inf. Oberschenkel. Ros. Laz.2. Crefield. (Oberschenkel is German for Thigh). The source informed me that his Battalion had been engaged at Esnes, France, then moved back to Le Catelet on the 26th of August 1914. He appears to have been left behind when the Battalion retreated.
He never spoke about his time in the war. I remember when we visited his daughters house in Belfast, he was always sitting in the chair beside the fire, with a pipe. He passed away in January 1971
Lt. Ellis Hubert Gardiner
British Army 7th Battalion Cheshire Regiment
from:Mount Farm/Bollington/Cheshire
(d.7th October 1918)
Cpl. Frank Cecil Gardiner
British Army 2nd Bn Bedfordshire Regiment
from:Wickham Hall, Bishops Stortford, Herts
(d.28th Mar 1918)
Frank Gardiner was my wife's grandfather who never got to see his son. He was the son of James and Laura Gardiner of Wickham Hall, Bishops Stortford, Herts; husband of Mabel Gardiner, of 20, Holmwood Grove, Harrowgate Hill, Darlington.
He served with the 2nd Bn., Bedfordshire Regiment and was killed age 22 on 28 March 1918, remembered with honour on the Pozieres Memorial, Commemorated in perpetuity by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
My records show that Frank was born in Harleston, Norfolk but lived in Middleton St George in Durham when he enlisted, which he did from Bedford. His service number is one that was changed in March 1917 from a 4 digit one to a 6 digit one. Originally, it would have been around 3200, which makes it issued in April 1914, suggesting he was a Territorial Army soldier before the war broke out. Normally, I expect to see chaps like him in the 5th Battalion, landing on Gallipoli in August 1915, etc. In his case, though he seems to have been trained in that battalion, but been held back. Why I cannot say for sure as it could have been down to several factors. Does not appear to have been his age so have to assume it was something else? He still had his Territorial Army number when he fell, which tells me he was not in the 2nd Btn for long, otherwise his number would have been changed. That seems to fit in with his marriage too; so Mabel was only married 6 months before becoming a widow? How horrible! I think the 3rd/5th Btn were up Durham way training & guarding the coastline but there is so little recorded about them I have no definite dates etc. Just articles from newspapers telling of letters home from that part of the country.
When he went abroad into the 2nd Btn he spent a week from 21/3/1918 until his death in a horrific battle. On the opening day of battle they were in the 2nd lines behind a Btn of Manchesters who were wiped out during an incredible stand to the last during which their CO won a VC. The 2nd Btn got hit hard & repeatedly but only retired when it transpired the Germans were behind them and on both open flanks as the Btns all around them had been forced back. They spent a week fighting hard, constantly retiring at the last moment when capture was imminent, then turning round again and stopping the attacking Germans in their tracks before repeating the retirement. Their battle started near St Quentin and after 4 days of constant fighting and marching, they found themselves many miles further back lining the Canal du Nord, with their lines straddling the Biverchy Bridge, as the remnants of the British Fifth Army passed through them.
By the morning of the 25th March the Germans massed for another attack on the opposite side of the Canal du Nord, where the 90th Brigade held the line. Heavy shelling from both British and German artillery preceded the attack, causing many casualties. Despite their best attempts and sustaining serious levels of casualties, the Germans could not break the will of the British defenders, many of whom had been in continuous fighting since the 21st. However, at 5pm, the French to the south fell back, forcing a domino effect on the British lines and at 6pm, the Battalion were ordered to withdraw once again.
By route marches and bus rides, the Bedfords were transported some 25km due west to Arvillers, where they billeted for the night – the first night they had spent under cover since the 20th. Following Gough’s famous order that the “Fifth Army must hold at all costs”, they did just that and stemmed the German advance again. The Bedford’s spent the 26th and 27th holding the enemy back around Le Quesnoy (6km north west of Roye) with great success, as the remnants of the Fifth Army stood fast. The Third Army to the north and French Army to the south fell back some six miles, yet the Fifth held. The 26th was a quiet day and that night patrols were sent towards the German lines. They ran into nothing until just outside the village of Le Quesnoy itself and the front line listened to German artillery rolling into and through the village all night. The following morning saw the artillery open up along their frontage and several infantry assaults were brought to a bloody halt before they came close to the British lines. Noon on the 27th saw the Germans get through to the south of the battalion on the right of the Bedfords, forcing them to withdraw to a new line along the Arviller-Folies road, 4km west, and once they had dug into their new positions they laid low. Other than heavy shelling which further reduced the size of the battalion, no more infantry attacks developed that day.
That night the planned French relief did not happen and no food or rations were brought up, but they were used to that by now, having survived on very little for the last week. So, they settled down for what turned out to be a quiet night out under the stars once more. The following morning (the 28th) saw them repel yet another determined attack that took the Germans to within 100 yards of their positions but no nearer. However, the enemy had got into the villages on both flanks (Arvillers and Folie) and by 2.30pm, they were ordered to withdraw under heavy Machine Gun and shell fire, 9km along the Amiens road to Mezieres, where they were finally fed. From this point, the 2nd Battalion of the Bedfordshire Regiment were moved into reserve (battalion Shot Cup winner)
Pte. Fred Gardiner
British Army 19th Btn. C Coy. IV Pln. Manchester Regiment
from:19 John Sheply Street, Hyde, Cheshire
Fred was the son of William and Sarah Ann Gardiner of Hollingworth and later Hyde in Cheshire. Fred joined the 4th City Battalion(Manchester Regiment)in 1915,which later became the 19th Battalion. In September 1915 Fred sailed with his regiment to France on the SS Queen Alexsandra. Fred was involved in action at Glatz Redoubt, near the village of Mountaban and later in July 1916 at the town of Guillemont where his company pushed the Germans troops out of the town only to be cut of from their regiment and captured by the Germans. He was in IV Platoon, C Company, 19th (Service) Battalion at that time.
Fred spent the rest of the war as a POW and was repatriated in December 1918. His 1914-1915 Star Medal along with his photo is displayed in the Manchester Regiment Museum in Ashton-Under-Lyne Town Hall.
Pte. Frederick Gardiner
Australian Imperial Force 3rd Australian Mobile Veterinary Section. Veterinary Corps
George Gardiner
British Army Highland Light Infantry
How can I find out what happened during his service. He was born in 1891. He's my great grandfather.
Pte. Harry Gardiner
British Army 14th Btn. Manchester Regiment
from:Dark Lane Farm, Denton, Lancashire
Harry was the son of William and Susannah Gardiner who where farmers of Dark Lane Farm, Haughton Green, Denton in Lancashire. Harry was born in 1890 on a farm in Gee Cross, Hyde, Cheshire and had eight siblings. By the start of WW1 both his parents had died and the farm was being run by the his sister Martha and siblings. Harry enlisted in the Manchester Regiment in April 1916. His brother Herbert also joined the Manchesters.
After training Harry was sent with his battalion to fight in France where he was wounded in the chest and stomach which became infected, he spent some six months in hospital where he contracted kidney problems which he was never to recover from. He died on the 16th April 1919 at home on the farm and is buried in St Mary's Graveyard in the village. His name appears on the churches war memorial plaque and on Dentons Town War Memorial.
Pte. Herbert Gardiner
British Army 5th Btn Lancashire Fusiliers
from:Dark Lane Farm, Denton, Lancashire
Herbert (born 1896 ) was the son of William and Susannah Gardiner of Dark Lane Farm, Haughton Green, Denton in Lancashire. He enlisted in the 3/9th Manchester Reserve Btn and was stationed at Ashton Barracks. He was transferred to the 1/5th Lancashire Fusiliers and was sent to fight in Eygpt and later France. He was wounded at St Quentin and in later fighting at Ypres. He was transferred to the 2nd Sherwoods. He was demobilized 1919 and returned to farming.
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