Walter Sidney Garrard was born in 1893 in Wood Green, Middlesex, the fifth of the ten children of William Peter Garrard (1861-1941) and Amelia Louisa Garrard née Loveday (1862-1939). His father was lamp maker and his birth was registered in the 3rd quarter of 1893 in the Edmonton registration district.
The 1901 census shows him living at 79 Morley Road, Wood Green, with his parents and five of his siblings.
On 23 July 1911 he married Lilian Harrington in East Ham.
He enlisted as a Private in the 23rd Battalion, The Middlesex Regiment, at Mill Hill on 18 July 1915. His service number was G/13721 and his service records show that he claimed to be a goods labourer of 7 Witchampton Street, Hoxton although his wife's address was recorded as 41 Holland Road, East Ham.
He was posted to his regiment on 23 July 1915 but was transferred on 25 February 1916 to the Machine Gun Corps at Grantham, Lincolnshire with a service number of 10926 where he served as an unpaid Lance Corporal from 24 March 1916. On 28 November 1916 he was transferred back as a Private to the 5th Battalion, The Middlesex Regiment with his old regimental number. He was reposted to the 23rd Battalion, The Middlesex Regiment on 22 December 1916 that became part of the British Expedition Force in France.
He was attached to the Battalion's 'C' Company when he was killed in action, aged 23 years, on 29 January 1917 and was buried in Row M, Grave 39 of the Dickebusch New Military Cemetery, Kerkstraat, 8900 Ieper, Belgium.
His widow was sent his army effects totalling £2-16s-5d on 24 May 1917 and was awarded a pension of 13 shillings and 9 pence per week with effect from 3 September 1917. She was remarried and his war gratuity of £6-10s-0d was sent to her in her new name of Lilian Gosling at Roding Hotel, Southend Road, East Ham, London, E6.
He was posthumously awarded the British War Medal 1914-1918 and the Victory Medal.
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.
