Henry William (Harry) GARDNER

GARDNER, Henry William

Service Number: 18908
Enlisted: 2 December 1916
Last Rank: Driver
Last Unit: 2nd Field Squadron Engineers
Born: Redbank Plains, Queensland, Australia, 24 January 1885
Home Town: Yarraman, Toowoomba, Queensland
Schooling: Not yet discovered
Occupation: Labourer
Died: Yarraman, Crow's Nest, Queensland, Australia, 25 December 1950, aged 65 years, cause of death not yet discovered
Cemetery: Nanango Cemetery, South Burnett - Queensland
Memorials:
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World War 1 Service

2 Dec 1916: Enlisted AIF WW1, Sapper, 18908, 2nd Field Squadron Engineers
16 Dec 1916: Promoted AIF WW1, Driver, 2nd Field Squadron Engineers
2 Nov 1917: Involvement Driver, 18908, 1st Field Company Engineers, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '5' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Commonwealth embarkation_ship_number: A73 public_note: ''
2 Nov 1917: Embarked Driver, 18908, 1st Field Company Engineers, HMAT Commonwealth, Melbourne
23 Apr 1919: Embarked AIF WW1, Driver, 18908, 2nd Field Squadron Engineers, Mounted Division Ex Port Said per HT Castallia for Australia
26 Jun 1919: Discharged AIF WW1, Driver, 18908, 2nd Field Squadron Engineers, Mounted Division

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Biography contributed by Chris Buckley

Harry was the eighth of nine children of Richard Gardner (born 1825 in Gloucestershire, England) and second wife Elizabeth Spooner (born 1844 in Ireland). Richard, an Agricultural Labourer, immigrated to Australia in 1864 and was a Miner in Ipswich QLD when he married Elizabeth, who had immigrated in 1863. Richard and Elizabeth moved to Redbank Plains in 1876, where Richard was a Farmer at Glenn Farm.

Harry was a Labourer at Newtown in Ipswich QLD before moving to Yarraman Creek (near Esk) on the Darling Downs in QLD. He was a Labourer, and spent 3 years with the Mounted Infantry Ipswich. In 1913 Harry married Violet Ann Heale (born 1891 at Yarraman Creek on the Darling Downs in QLD).

In September 1916 Harry enlisted in the AIF, serving with 2nd Field Squadron Engineers as a Sapper and Driver (Service No: 18908). He was hospitalised with German Measles, and in 1918 in Beirut was dangerously ill with 'Malignant Malaria' (National Archives Australia). Following his Discharge in October 1919, Harry returned to the Darling Downs in QLD where he and Violet lived at Esk and at Yarraman Creek. Harry was a Labourer until his death in 1950. Violet died in 1958

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