Horatio Gardener died 01/08/1917 near Ypres

[maghater]

Was my great Uncle originally enlisted in the DLI as he was a South Shields lad, but was discharged as medically unfit. Was serving with the Gordon Highlanders, wounded and died of wounds August 1917, guess it was the start of the battle of Paschendale. Visited his grave a few years ago, but sadly have very little information about the poor man.

[jim1]

Most acts of bravery go unrecorded so if you'll allow me I can give you the details leading up to his death.
Horatio was in the 8/10th. Gordon Highlanders & at the start of July was near Ypres engaging in mock battles & bayonet practice for the forthcoming attack.
On the July 29th. they received orders to move to the front to the west of Frezenberg between Ypres & Zonnebeke.
On the 30th. they moved to their battle positions left of the railway line with the Black Watch on their left flank & the 8th. Division on the right.
3.50 a.m. of the 31st. the whistle blew & they went over the top under a creeping barrage laid down by the RA.
They at first experienced difficulty advancing because of the darkness & the fact that the terrain had completely changed owing to the shelling that preceded the attack which left them unable to see their boundary lines.
They got moving again shortly after 4 a.m. when they made their first contact with the enemy. They came under heavy M/G fire but advanced towards their 1st. objective which was the blue line (see map).
At Wilde Wood they engaged the enemy again in what is probably the most brutal form of warfare that is hand to hand fighting. They reached the blue line at 4.25 a.m. having suffered few casualties ( the Germans having been forced to retreat, killed or captured ).
At 5.05 a.m. they advanced again towards their final objective, the black line which they reached at 5.55 a.m. after encountering heavy shelling & M/G fire.
They held this position for 4 hours to allow the RA to move up with their guns.
At 10.10 a.m. the second wave moved out. The 11th. A & S.H. leap-frogged the 8/10th. & advanced towards the green line.
The situation remained like this until 11.30 p.m. as the 8th. Div. on their right flank were unable to get beyond the black line.
Having suffered heavy casualties the 11th. A & S.H. were forced to withdraw & were relieved by the 8/10th.
By the end of this day the 8/10th. Gordons had suffered 2 Officers killed & 10 wounded. 25 OR's killed & 125 wounded but they held their ground.
The following day the Germans counter attacked but this was repulsed due to the 8/10th. advancing towards while rapid firing. This caused the enemy to scatter, most just surrendered.
By the end of day 2 the 8/10th. had suffered over 60% casualties.
Horatio would have been removed via a number of aid posts to one of the advanced dressing stations in & around Ypres where he succumbed to his wounds on the 1st. of August 1917.
Below is the actual battlefield map used by the Batt. CO. at the time.

May he rest in peace.

[maghater]

thanks for your information . Much appreciated

[XXX]

Genes Reunited shows 2 births for Horatio Gardeners:

1868 - Q1, South Shields
1895 - Q2, South Shields

FreeBMD shows a marriage in the same name. From the date it is most likely for  the older one:

1890 - Q3, Volume 10a, Page 1079. The two possible spouses are Alice Southren and Kate Wade.

[Enumerated]

He is listed on the CWGC site as Horace Gardener
https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/430328/HORACE%20GARDENER/