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William Richard Garner
Information about birth
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Date of birth: 19/09/1878 |
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Place of birth: Bow, Middlesex, England, United Kingdom |
General information
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Profession: Clothier Cutter |
Army information
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Country: England, United Kingdom |
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Force: British Expeditionary Force |
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Rank: Private |
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Service number: 243275 |
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Enlistment place: East Ham, Essex, England, United Kingdom |
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Units: — Lancashire Fusiliers, 1/5th Bn. (Last known unit) |
Information about death
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Date of death: 06/09/1917 |
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Place of death: Borry Farm, Zonnebeke, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
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Age: 38 |
Memorial
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Tyne Cot Memorial Panel: 57A |
Distinctions and medals 2
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British War Medal Medal — 06/02/1920 |
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Victory Medal Medal — 06/02/1920 |
Points of interest 3
| #1 | Place of birth | ||
| #2 | Enlistment place | ||
| #3 | Place of death (approximate) |
My story
William Richard Garner was a 38-year-old Clothier Cutter of Manor Park, East Ham in Essex who was killed during the Battle of Passchendaele.
William was killed on 6 September 1917 when his unit; the 1/5th Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers attacked Borry Farm. The attack started at 7.15 a.m. On their left flank the 1/6th Lancashire Fusiliers advanced on Beck House and Iberian, while the 61st Division tried to capture Hill 35.
As soon as the 1/5th Lancashire Fusiliers moved forward it suffered heavy casualties from intense machine gun fire coming from Vampir Farm and from dugouts south of Borry Farm. The attack was stopped dead in its tracks after 150 yards. None of the intended objectives could be reached.
Throughout the rest of the day several German counter attacks were fended off by artillery. But around 7.30 p.m. the defence on the left gave way and the troops were forced back to their original line. With their left flan up in the air a large part of William’s Battalion fell back. Only the right flank managed to consolidate a line roughly 150 yards in advance of their original positions.
For the 1/5th Lancashire Fusiliers the cost has been high. The Battalion had suffered heavy casualties. William Richard Garner was one of the many men who lost their life during the attack on Borry Farm. William left behind a wife and two children.
William was killed on 6 September 1917 when his unit; the 1/5th Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers attacked Borry Farm. The attack started at 7.15 a.m. On their left flank the 1/6th Lancashire Fusiliers advanced on Beck House and Iberian, while the 61st Division tried to capture Hill 35.
As soon as the 1/5th Lancashire Fusiliers moved forward it suffered heavy casualties from intense machine gun fire coming from Vampir Farm and from dugouts south of Borry Farm. The attack was stopped dead in its tracks after 150 yards. None of the intended objectives could be reached.
Throughout the rest of the day several German counter attacks were fended off by artillery. But around 7.30 p.m. the defence on the left gave way and the troops were forced back to their original line. With their left flan up in the air a large part of William’s Battalion fell back. Only the right flank managed to consolidate a line roughly 150 yards in advance of their original positions.
For the 1/5th Lancashire Fusiliers the cost has been high. The Battalion had suffered heavy casualties. William Richard Garner was one of the many men who lost their life during the attack on Borry Farm. William left behind a wife and two children.
Sources 5
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"Passchendaele. The Day-by-Day Account", McCarthy C., London, Uniform, 2018, pg. 72-73. Sources used |
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Anncestry https://www.ancestry.com Further reference |
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CWGC https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/839616/garner,-william-richard/ Sources used |
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The Long, Long Trail https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/ Sources used |
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War Diary Lancashire Fusiliers, 1/5th Bn. https://www.nmarchive.com/ Further reference |